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The Rodina homage to the Nomos Tangente has been causing quite a stir in the affordable watch segment at the moment. There is a thread dedicated to this watch on watchuseek literally hundreds of responses long. http://forums.watchuseek.com/f71/affordable-nomos-homage-review-rodina-small-seconds-pictures-752788.html

It seems to have received a positive response and quite a following to match. Why is this the case? Mainly because of the surprising spec for $120, and also the fact that this is one of the only affordable homages available with a Classic Bauhaus style. I had to get my hands on one to take a closer look…

Currently, the best place to buy the Rodina is Good Stuffs (which is where I got this one from). http://www.good-stuffs.com/Classic-Rodina-automatic-wrist-watch-OEM-by-Sea-Gull-ST17_p_156.html

The model doesn’t really have a name, heck, I don’t even think there are any other current Rodinas out there apart from the blue faced equivalent.

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The case

The case is very straight-forward in design and build. It is entirely polished, and is 38.37mm in diameter, although it appears more like 40mm thanks to the very thin bezel.

The top angle has a sharply cut edge, at 90 degrees with the tiniest of rounded edging. The underside’s profile is provided by the screw-down case back, which is the full size of the bottom of the Rodina R005. Rather than being as angular as the top of the case, the bottom has a shallow curve around the edges – which makes for a comfortable wear. The case-back has a mineral crystal in the centre (also known as an exhibition case back) to show off the innards of the Sea-Gull ST17 movement. It has the details of the watch lightly etched around the crystal. The case-back overall is nicely executed and a key feature of the watch in my eyes.

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The height of the case is a slim 9.25mm, resulting in a low profile and easy wear. This thin height of the case also emphasises the minimalist bauhaus design.

The only other design feature of the case is a thin and shallow indent around the side of the case. I’m not sure if this is a design feature, as in the case has been machined with it there to look nice, or if it is a manufacturing feature – it looks like it could be that the case and the bezel are two separate pieces if steel and this is the join where they have been screwed together. Nevertheless, it looks good and breaks up the side of an otherwise very plain case.

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On top of the case is a sapphire crystal, with no anti-reflective coating apparent (although with a lighter dial it is not needed as much as a dark dial). I am not sure of the thickness of the sapphire crystal, but judging by the sound it makes when you tap it, I would say it is relatively thin. But hey, it’s still better than a mineral crystal.

The Rodina has a fairly plain pull-out crown at 3 with “R” embossed on the end. It has a shallow grip testier around the outside. There are no crown guards present as protection.

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The lugs on the case are another unique feature of this watch (I say unique, I mean copied off the Nomos Tangente). They have a very angular profile, protruding at 90 degrees out from the case and then turning down at 45 degrees. The Rodina features drilled lugs, which make changing straps nice and easy – it means that you can contract the pins to remove the strap from the outside through the holes.

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The overall impression of the case is very good, and it is very well finished. There are no apparent flaws or signs of poor machining.

The dial

The colour of the dial is a very pleasant off white, with tints of cream and silver flowing through it depending on the angle of the light reflection. It’s a very plainly designed dial, the only discernible styled items are the Bauhaus inspired numeral hour markers for every even number. There are printed baton hour markers for all the odd hours. The only other printing on the dial is “Rodina” and “automatic” below it in the top half, and then “China Made” at the foot of the face. This is interesting that Rodina decided to have this here, as unfortunate as it is (China do make some very good watches), it may put off a number of people.

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The hands are an extremely simple stick with a small point at the tip. They are all blued steel, which brings in the only splash of colour to the watch. The colour is very dark, so only in certain light does the blue come through, but when it does it looks very nice and gives the watch an expensive appearance. To the naked eye, the hands all appear to be very well made. Only upon cracking out the macro lens does some very minor flaws show up, mainly on the edging where they have been cut or made.

The small seconds subdial has a very subtle concentric circle pattern in it, giving the general face an extra texture and making it a bit more interesting. A nice extra touch at this price.

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As I mentioned before, it is interesting that the only reference to Bauhaus is the font used for the numerals. I figure if they changed the font for an elegant serif or a smart sans-serif (as not everyone likes the bauhaus numeral look), it would completely alter the overall look of the watch, transforming it into a classy dress watch.

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The strap

The 20mm wide strap that comes fitted to the Rodina is a little on the thin side, but is comfortable enough. As I mention in the video review, it is most probably something you would be looking at swapping out anyway. But, if you’re not too bothered, it does the job just fine. It is soft and comfortable on the underside, you barely notice the watch is on when you are wearing it. There is also a black thread either side of the strap for the whole length.

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One thing I have noticed is that usually I wear any leather strap on the second hole. On the Rodina though, I have to have it on the 4th at least, and there are only 7 in total. It is much shorter than any other straps I have worn. If you have a large wrist, don’t expect the stock strap to fit!

Another thing regarding the strap is that I have not worn the watch a great amount, and already there is slight creasing appearing on it from the buckle. I was expecting it to last a bit longer before it started to crease, this is most probably due to the slightly thinner profile of the leather.

The fully polished stainless steel buckle is a little bit flimsy flimsy too, with a light etching of “RODINA” on it. There is a lot of movement in the pin. But, it does the job just fine.

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The movement

The Rodina is powered by an automatic Sea-Gull ST17 movement. It is well known as being a solid, dependable and cost-effective automatic movement. It runs at 21.6k bph, equating to 6 ticks per second. Rather than having a centre second hand, the running seconds are situated in a subdial at 6. The smaller hand gives the movement the appearance of a smoother sweep. The Sea-Gull ST17 movement has hand wind functionality, but does not have a hacking function. It has proved to be very accurate in its time keeping for a couple of weeks.

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The exhibition case back shows off this movement nicely. You get to see pretty much all of it, including the plastic movement holder keeping it secure. The ST-17 feels reassuringly secure when changing the time, supporting the general vibe that this is a sturdy and dependable movement.

The rotor could be a bit more visually appealing, but it is understandable that it has to be sterile and generic, in order that it can be used in so many different watches. The Côtes de Genève / pearlage markings are classically Chinese and are pleasant to view.

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Final comments

All in all, this watch is impressive, and I personally like it very much. Obviously you would most probably want to replace the strap, but that’s not really a big problem. In fact, it’s something you expect from most of the cheaper Chinese watches available today. The watch head itself offers great looks and value for money however. The specs of a dependable ST17 movement with exhibition case back, sapphire crystal and very well machined case, especially at only $120, makes the Rodina R005 a great buy if the Bauhaus design appeals to you. I would highly recommend it as a cheap alternative / homage to the Nomos Tangente.

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24 comments

  1. Affordable Nomos homage review (Rodina Small Seconds) with pictures - Page 62

    […] not sure if this was already posted but there's a really thorough review of this watch over here: Rodina R005 Bauhaus Watch Review | Watch It All About Great photos, and a video too. Rodina "Small Seconds" (White/Blue), Parnis […]

  2. WTB: Rodina "Small Seconds" R005 Watch, white face + blue dial

    […] PM me. This is the model: Rodina R005 Bauhaus Watch Review | Watch It All About If you're wanting to sell it, please let me know ASAP! This is gonna be my christmas gift for my […]

  3. Tony

    Great review.

    I have a CW C60, Steinhart O1 GMT, Steinhart OVM, Hamilton Khaki but this Rodina is the only one I’ve had any compliments on! I swapped out the strap for a nice Darlena from Weston Watch Straps.

  4. Daniel

    I like Rodina because of the classy but simplified look. I’m looking for a watch with a bauhaus style and would fits perfectly, unfortunately they are currently all sold out at the link you provided (new ones will be available by the end of February). I guess I just have to wait!

  5. Kevin

    welcome order Rodina Watch at
    http://www.aliexpress.com/store/1179858

  6. Mike

    I ordered one of these watches from good-stuffs. I just received the package and there was no watch inside. Clearly, I am seriously disappointed. I just emailed customer service. I will update this post with new information.

    1. Mike

      I received a response today. Apparently theft during transit is an ongoing issue for Rodina. They are planning to send me another watch. I will update this post with new information as it comes.

    2. Mike

      Many thanks to Jun Lao of good-stuffs for promptly handling the issue and getting my my new Rodina R005. The watch is beautiful and was delivered quickly. Thanks Jun!

  7. Military watches collection magazine - Page 1233

    […] Nomos homage, with a Seagull movement like the Parnis and in roughly the same price bracket. https://12and60.com/rodin…-watch-review/ is that my watch and smeagal like this. Reply With […]

  8. Andre

    Very nice review thanks a lot!

  9. Motiron

    Nice review very detailed!
    Just dislike “china made”

    1. Marin

      I feel exactly the opposite!! I love their sincerity and I have more respect for a watch that is made in china and says that, then dozens of other watches that say they say Made in Germany/Swiss Made but are actually mostly made in China!!

      1. Andre

        Good for you thinking this way!

  10. Patrick

    Just received my Rodina from http://www.good-stuffs.com. I was very pleased with the order until I realized that it is not matching the description given on watchitallabout.com. In fact, the small seconds subdial does not exhibit any concentric circle pattern as described above (“giving the general face an extra texture and making it a bit more interesting. A nice extra touch at this price.”), but is rather plain and simple as the rest of the dial. Hence, if you order your Rodina you need to be prepared to accept some minor deviations from what you have expected – if you are prepared to do so, it’s still a great watch.

    1. Harry Withenfields

      Hi Patrick,
      I happen to be wearing one of my two examples of this watch (when I come across a winner I like to have a backup, just in case), and when I read your comment I looked at it and thought ‘he’s right’ – and then I thought ‘hang on, let’s get the lens out’. Result: I wonder if you have been unlucky with the lighting. You really have to look closely, but on the watch I’m wearing now it’s certainly there, but you only see it really clearly in slanting light and preferably with a lens. Even so, I think in the right light the effect will be visible, even if the concentric lines themselves aren’t. It really is a very subtle element of the design. (As it happens, a near neighbour has the original Nomos, so I must ask him if I can take a closer look.) Meanwhile, I can assure you that the Rodina looks every bit as good as the Nomos (which is maybe 2mm thinner, and undeniably has a more attractive movement as viewed through the display back), though naturally you may or may not have to keep it far enough away from those you mix with to ensure that they can’t actually read the name…
      To end with, I must take issue with Joshua’s assertion that (I paraphrase) most owners will want to replace the strap. To me, this is the finest strap I’ve yet encountered on a Chinese-made watch (I have about thirty). It’s extremely flexible, soft and comfortable, and don’t forget the watch itself has a comparatively low mass, so it doesn’t need a sturdy (i.e. thick) strap to restrain it.
      I’ve had the one I’m wearing for at least a year, maybe even two (bought via TaoBao Focus – recommended!) and it is extremely accurate, particularly if worn for longer periods. (That doesn’t happen often as I have other watches that I wear regularly, mainly a Parnis 43mm open heart with power reserve, which runs fast when fully wound, probably my own fault as I first moved the wrong lever when adjusting it.) The second one I bought through eBay. When I wore it for a couple of days it was just as accurate as the first.
      Cheers,
      Harry

  11. "Enhanced" Rodina Bauhaus - Page 3

    […] happy about a video review too. Loved to see the review of the first(?) rodina on watchitallabout (Rodina R005 Bauhaus Watch Review | Watch It All About). Reply With […]

  12. Your mission, should you choose to accept it: find the most affordable automa... - Page 3

    […] about the Rodina so you can pass some knowledge on to your father, here's a good write up/review. Rodina R005 Bauhaus Watch Review | Watch It All About Seiko | Citizen | Orient Reply With […]

  13. Martin

    Bought one on ebay from a source in China in June. It is already broken. China crap. Ebay seller can not be contacted anymore, links are dead.

    1. Joshua Clare-Flagg

      That’s a shame. I’d recommend buying them from where I got mine from, http://www.good-stuffs.com/

    2. Harry Withenfields

      Tough indeed, sorry to hear it Martin. Sounds like a rogue trader rather than bad luck…

  14. Craig

    Great review, and on the back of it I bought this watch from good-stuffs. Wasn’t expecting too much for the price, but was very pleased overall. I replaced the strap with a thicker one with a deployment clasp bought for £17 from ebay.
    The only issue I have with the watch is the small second hand dial is nowhere near as defined as yours, or any other photos I’ve seen. The circle is barely debossed and the concentric circles are not there at all. Wonder if anyone else has had this issue?

  15. Time On A Budget (2) | JumboSales

    […] Another option in the minimalist Bauhaus style is the Rodina R500G. This Chinese made automatic is an homage to the far more expensive Nomos Tangente. Watch it all about has a great review: https://12and60.com/rodina-r005-bauhaus-watch-review/ […]

  16. Luke

    I bought mine from the seagull store, not from goodstuff, and received it in Singapore after two weeks. The dial appears to be off-white, rather than silver-white, but I am ok with that. The small seconds hand sub-dial, however, is clearly silver-white, debossed and has concentric circles.

  17. Not every Apple product is for you – The Woodwork

    […] over the Nomos Tangente and with just as much claim to authenticity. And for the rest of you, this Chinese “homage” is priced so low it’s almost […]

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