Proxima, to us, are the quintessential Chinese microbrand. What they lack in terms of pure quality and engineering they make up for with price and some interesting designs. But does the PX1701 do enough to wash away the AliExpress stigma?
Floating around the £200 mark (honestly, AliExpress prices vary so wildly that stating a price today is like predicting what Donald Trump, or an equally mentally-disabled wolf, is going to do next), these aren’t absolutely bargain basement fodder but it can still be a little nerve-wracking spending three figures on Chinese made gear, so you need to make sure it’s worth the punt. So, are they? Are Proxima PX1701’s worth the price? We’d say yes. But with caveats.
We picked up this model in the blue/orange colour scheme (Hey! Let’s stop saying ‘colourway’ it sounds stupid) and purchased it through AliExpress when they were going a bit mental around November with various coupons and bonuses. You can also purchase it directly from Proxima themselves. There are four options but really you’re just looking at blue with a (blue and orange bezel) or white (with a black and white bezel) for two of the models and then those options but with the other models’ bezels (which is a terrible looking option).
Whether you go black and white or blue and orange, the star of the show on either is the skeletonised dial. The white version shows off more of the movement, while the blue and orange version is a little bit more opaque. However, either version does a great job of showing off the date wheel and it’s certainly fun to see that rotate into position when setting it (or if you’re young enough to stay up until midnight without it ruining the next day for you). And it’s all topped with a sapphire glass crystal too, nice to have at this price point.
The good thing about the blue version is that it’s a darker dial and that really helps with legibility, especially paired with the sharp dagger hands and baton indices, which are the locations of the BGW9 lume (which is a little underwhelming but just about readable at night). The dial is kept relatively clean with just ‘Proxima’ in text (they don’t seem to have an image logo across their brand) and ‘Automatic’ which is a reference to the watch’s calibre. In this case it’s the PT5000, a Chinese-made movement that offers a power reserve of 38 hours and is hacking (the second hand stops when you’re setting/winding the watch). There’s also a screw down crown which assists with the 200 metre water resistance (which is okay but probably not really suitable for proper diving) and has the date setting (the date is at the 3 o’clock setting) on the first position and time on the second.
We actually found the second position to be a little fiddly. Sometimes, we pulled it out to there and the hands didn’t respond, it just took a little extra pull or even a push in and then pull for it to respond. That’s really our only big knock against the watch. It’s a minor inconvenience, and your mileage may vary, but it already seems a little less reliable than watches that have a NH35 or Miyota movement in them.
What’s great about the watch though are its looks. This is a unique and interesting piece that definitely serves as a cool summer watch. It’s not the most buttoned-up look and the wife test reported that it was “nice but looked a bit childish” on first inspection before those comments turned to ‘ooh’s when she saw the transparency. Again, we’re not sure you’d really want to go into the sea with it but if you do you’ve got a 120-click uni-directional ceramic bezel to help track your depleting oxygen. Rather you than us though, you can’t run out of puff when drinking tea in the riverside café.
The PX1701 comes on a stainless steel bracelet that we actually like quite a bit. It’s comfortable enough, has screw links (yes!) and has a lot of spare links so it’s good for you and your werewolf form. There are also a couple of half links at either end, so resizing this watch is an absolute dream. And the overall size, 39mm (with a 45mm lug to lug) is very tidy and versatile.
We actually swapped out the bracelet right away for a blue sailcloth strap from Wrist Envy which initially looked great and was super comfortable. Unfortunately, one of the keepers keeps fraying and has become a bit scratchy. We’ve also tried out an FKM rubber strap which isn’t a great match for either the blue or orange tones in the watch. The blue is probably a little light to be matched easily, so maybe your strap options here will be limited.
One very cool thing about the watch is that it’s only 11.5mm thick (add a bit more for the glass though). And the back is actually quite flat so that makes the watch even more comfortable to wear. You get a few technical notes on there about the watch and a graphic of a couple of stingrays (we think, although they could be the monsters out of the Vin Diesel flick Pitch Black).
At just under £200, this isn’t the cheapest thing you can buy from China to stick on your wrist but it gets enough things right to be just about worth it. We’ve got some concerns about the longevity of the movement but in terms of the overall look and functionality, we’re happy to recommend this as a good cheap option for any potential watch collector to add a bit of interest to their collection.
The ‘Ten Watch Box’ Verdict: So, will it hold down a place in our ten watch display case? For a while this was our favourite watch but it’s lower down in the ranking now. Look, it’s not a technical masterpiece and it’ll never qualify as an heirloom but the unique look is nice and it’s a great size which all makes it a joy to wear and look at. For 2025 at least, it’ll hold down a place in the top ten but we can see it being surpassed later on.
JUST THE FACTS
Availability/Options: The good thing about Proxima is that they don’t play silly games with limited runs. If you want this, you can buy it from Proxima or AliExpress without any faff. If you’re worried about watch snobbery (don’t but if you are) then Seiko’s 5 Sports SKX is a very cool take on their old Prospect model that offers up blue or orange models that have a similar look (and benefit from a day/date complication) but are let down by having a ‘Hardlex’ crystal and a stupidly dark see-through case back (that you can’t really see through). And the 42.5mm case diameter makes it less of an option for skinny-wristed chumps like us.
Brand: Proxima
Model: PX1701
Reference: (as model)
Style: Diver
Case Size: 39mm
Movement: PT5000
Material: Stainless teel
Band Width: 20mm
Band Type: Stainless steel bracelet
Price Paid: £197 (AliExpress with coupons/cashback)