Wristwatch Review: Caribbean Joe Square Watch with Synthetic Leather Strap

When it comes to cheap watches, I enjoy the Caribbean Joe brand.  In fact, I've found most of the variants of Caribbean Joe watches that are available. Most of the time, I get them from Kohl's, but I learned that there are square case Caribbean Joe's watches and I had to find them. As 2024 drew to a close, I ordered two watches online from a store in the northern midwestern US called Boscov's. The model numbers were CJ7145GU (Blue Dial/Gunmetal Case) and CJ7145SL (Brown Dial/Silver Case)

Caribbean Joe Square Watch (CJ7145GU)

Watch Style

I like the square case from Caribbean Joe. It seems to be on trend and looks good. The brands trademark hut and text are centered just below 12 o'clock and the dial shimmers with the light like a sun ray design. The subdials are attractive, but non-functional. At a $20 price point, you simply don't get the functionality of a more expensive watch.

Caribbean Joe Square Watch (CJ7145GU)

Watch Construction

This Caribbean Joe watch has a stainless steel caseback and a base metal case. Base metals typically are metals or alloys of metals like copper, brass, zinc, aluminum, or tin. The watch uses a common SR626SW battery and it is kindly noted on the caseback. The movement is made in Singapore and the synthetic leather strap is made in China. While the movement keeps good time, it can be difficult to set with precision because when the crown is depressed, the minute hand may jump by a minute. You can find it a challenging game to try and synchronize the watch with time.gov.  Ultimately, this is one of the common drawbacks to cheap watches and helps us appreciate the precision timepieces in our collections.

Caribbean Joe Square Watch Caseback

Watch Dimensions

The square Caribbean Joe watches are reasonably sized for most wrists. The watch case is 39mm across and 40mm from top to bottom.  You can see the size clearly here with the brown dial(?) version.

Caribbean Joe Square Watch with Brown Strap (CJ7145SL)

The case is a slim 9mm thick which is perfect for wearing with business attire including long-sleeved shirts with cuffs. 

The watch strap length is fairly generous and, with my large wrists, I was able to buckle it on the last hole and tuck the remaining strap under both loops. 

Strap of Caribbean Joe Model CJ7145SL (Brown Strap/Silver Case)

Overall Impression

With working subdials and a more precise movement, this watch could be a contender.  But, it chose to be a bum and hang out on a Caribbean Island. For a cheap watch, it is a handsome looking cuss. I like it and it's fun to wear--just don't forget this is a beach bum brand.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Caribbean Joe Watch with Coin-Edged Bezel and Two Faux Subdials

My affection for my little collection of Caribbean Joe wristwatches continues to grow. They are great beater watches and have a style that is carried throughout the watch line up. I've reviewed this watch before on this blog at the watch review post linked here. I don't know why I like them. It must be the hut.

My Caribbean Joe Coin-Edged Bezel watch and a Great Book

If you like Caribbean Joe watches, you can typically find them at Kohls or Boscovs. I guess bringing a little tropical island flavor to the wrist isn't a bad idea.

The Caribbean Joe Watch with the Fishes

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Caribbean Joe Watch with Blue Dial

Today, I'm wearing my Caribbean Joe Watch with blue dial.  It has decorative, non-functional, sub-dials, a quartz movement from Singapore, a stainless steel caseback, and a Chinese synthetic leather strap.  It's powered by an SR626SW battery. If the light blue color, doesn't suit your tastes, there are many similar available Caribbean Joe watches.  Here's a post on a Caribbean Joe watch I wore last year.

A Caribbean Joe Watch with Blue Dial

This watch costs somewhere around $20 and either came from Burlington or Kohls brick and mortar location. It's a comfortable watch: lightweight and easy to read. The white inserts on the hands help with reading the watch in low-light conditions. It has a bit of a vintage feel.  Initially, I was a little put off by the non-functional subdials, but they remove quite a bit of fussiness and actually makes setting and wearing the watch a low hassle experience.  As always, I love the little hut and palm tree. To quote a couple of musical greats, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere."

A Caribbean Joe Logo

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Caribbean Joe Cushion Case Quartz Watch

Lately, I've been wearing my new Caribbean Joe Cushion Case Quartz Watch. It was the Caribbean Joe watch I sighted a week ago. That's willpower. I held off buying it for a whole day. However, it was a great deal at Kohl's. With all the different coupons and Black Friday deals, I was able to get it for less than $20. It's pictured here at the Unclaimed Baggage store under the watchful gaze of professional diving equipment that was lost in the air transportation system.

A commercial dive mask appears to be looking at my Caribbean Joe Watch

The watch has non-functional subdials for decorative purposes. In some ways, I hate non-functional subdials. However, I'm also a little relieved not to have to fuss with setting the subdials. Once again, Caribbean Joe achieves the mission of achieving good looks on a low budget.

Watch Sighting: Caribbean Joe Silver Tone Four Dial Watch

Caribbean Joe watches are like potato chips. You can't stop with just one. They are just a guilty pleasure.  They have a cool name. They have a little hut logo on the dial. They are dirt cheap.

The trademark Caribbean Joe hut

I saw one at Kohl's the other night. It was tucked into a display with several other similarly priced Caribbean Joe watches, some Geneva watches, and a few assorted Timex models. 

A Watch Display at Kohls

I passed on it. Instead, I bought a Geneva watch with a cool cyclops over the date. But, the little bugger imprinted itself in my brain.  It has a cushion case which reminds me of a classic watch that I've seen before.  The cushion case gives this Caribbean Joe watch a vintage vibe and, with the multiple non-functional subdials, it remains a masculine watch.  It's a nice simple design. I kind of want it.  As I research cushion cases further, I find that iconic Italian watch maker Panerai uses cushion cases extensively on their Luminor and Radiomir models.  [Oh, wow, here's a whole Amazon treasure trove filled with Panerai watches that I can't afford.]

A Caribbean Joe watch with a cushion case and non-functional subdials.

In contrast, this Caribbean Joe watch only costs $29.99 regularly and is available with all kinds of sales and discounts for Christmas. Of course, as a married dude, one doesn't walk into Kohl's lightly. The trip might be expensive. I may have to ponder this one a bit.

[For today only 12/1/2024 - it is available here online only on the Kohl's website for only $16.79.]

Wristwatch Review: Caribbean Joe Watch with Coin-Edged Bezel and Two Faux Subdials

This wristwatch review covers another simple, but interesting, watch from Caribbean Joe.  It's an all black watch with two faux sub-dials, white hour marker numerals outlined with a shiny silver accent, and  a coin-edged bezel. While the watch has a reliable quartz movement, it is not a precision timepiece. If you rock the watch back and forth, sometimes you may notice that the minute hand can move just a little.  It's enough that the minute hand might be half a minute off.  That little bit of play certainly reminds you that this is an inexpensive $20 to $30 watch.   

Caribbean Joe Watch with Coin Edged Bezel

However, this Caribbean Joe watch has it's merits.  For example, it has a smooth, gently domed, crystal. It's lightweight and comfortable. The case is 42mm in diameter and doesn't stand too tall on the wrist.  It's weird to me that they went to the trouble to have a wonderfully domed crystal and then undermined it a bit with non-working sub-dials.

Caribbean Joe Synthetic Leather Strap

The synthetic leather band is quite generously sized and is comfortable to wear.  I like not being on the very last hole in a watch strap.

The Watch Strap is generously sized.

Overall, this Caribbean Joe watch offers a sophisticated, casual, look for very affordable price.  It's a great bang around watch for travel to a tropical island because it's inexpensive and easily replaced.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Caribbean Joe Fashion Watch with Subdials

This Caribbean Joe watch is an attractive addition to my collection.  It's just a quartz "fashion watch" and the sub-dials don't work.  But, it looks good.  I like the way the hour batons are outlined in gold and sud-dials are trimmed the same way.  It's a nice classic and cohesive look.  The only drawback to this watch is that the strap is a tad short.  It's wearable, but a little more watch strap length would be nice.

A Caribbean Joe watch atop a circa 1885 book of Tennyson poetry.

This watch came as part of a two-watch set which also included a digital watch.  I'm not much into digital watches lately, but it was a nice combo in a great presentation box for the sub-$20 price.

Wristwatch Review: Caribbean Joe Sport Watch with Subdials

Here's an interesting and inexpensive watch from Caribbean Joe.  You can typically find watches like this at Burlington and Boscov stores for less than $20 in 2024.  It comes with a synthetic leather strap and has a reasonable 38mm and approximately 8mm thickness. for everyday wear. It's a lightweight, comfortable, watch that works well.

A Caribbean Joe Watch with 3 non-functional subdials

WATCH FEATURES

This watch has the basic features that you expect for telling time:  big hand, little hand, and second hand.  But what this Caribbean Joe watch doesn't have raises an interesting question for watch buyers and enthusiasts.  The subdials in this watch are non-functional.  That's right.  They are only there for appearance sake.  I used to think that this would be a problem.  But, now, I'm not so sure.  

I don't think I need complications or subdials on a watch anymore.  The one thing about fake subdials is that they seem unnecessary and, perhaps, a little dishonest.  Alternatively, my Caribbean Joe Sunburst watch is a little more straight forward.

This Caribbean Joe watch has non-functional subdials

WATCH CONSTRUCTION

Of course, Caribbean Joe immediately makes up for the lack of functioning subdials with something far more important:  the battery requirement etched on the caseback.  I could hug them.  There's nothing worse than taking a caseback off to replace a battery and then having to start a mad quest to find some kind of obscure watch battery.  SR626SW batteries are very common and easy to find.

The Stainless Steel Caseback of the Caribbean Joe watch

This Caribbean Joe watch has a stainless steel caseback, a synthetic leather strap, a base metal case (in a gunmetal tone), and a Singapore-made watch movement.

OVERALL

I really like this watch.  It is simple, inexpensive, and good looking.  It also came in a nice box.  I like not having to fuss with trying to read the subdials or make sure they work.  I don't know that I'd wear this watch in a physically demanding environment or  into a status-oriented office.  It's not a prestige watch.  But, it works on a "this looks cool" level.  You also won't get mugged for it.  It's a great value at under $25 in 2024.  Plus, I like having a thatched hut and palm tree with me at all times.

TGIF: Kicking Back with a Caribbean Joe Watch

We've made it through another workweek and reached another blessed Friday!  If you're ready for a palm tree and a hut, so am I!  That's why we'll soon have another review for a fashion watch from Caribbean Joe.  I have a few of these watches in my collection now so you'll see more of them in the coming weeks.

A tiny little hut and a tiny little palm tree adorn the dial of a Caribbean Joe watch.

I know. I know.  With retail prices that are typically less than $30, Caribbean Joe watches are cheap watches. We'll do a bit more prestige with a Bulova sometime soon.  But, as far as I'm concerned, with the little hut and palm tree, these watches come with just the right attitude.  Here is my review for a Caribbean Joe Men's Degrade Watch with a green  sunburst dial.  Never be afraid to have a little fun with a bang around watch!

A Caribbean Joe Watch with Three Non-Functional Subdials

Watch Review: Caribbean Joe Men's Degrade Green Sunburst Dial Strap Watch

When it comes to inexpensive fashion watches, one name has intrigued me for quite a long time:  Caribbean Joe.  As the logo on the dial shows, the brand evokes sunny beaches, swaying palm trees, and an idyllic life in a beach hut.  Who doesn't want that?

With my own summer ruined by a bit of job and career  uncertainty, I had no chance to escape to any tropical places this year.  But, the moment I gazed into the emerald green of this watch face at Kohl's, I was hooked.  You could get a virtual vacation just by checking the time.

Watch Style

Online, Kohl's calls this one the "Caribbean Joe Men's Degrade Green Sunburst Dial Strap Watch."  It's an apt description as you can see from the full picture that the watch does have a sunburst effect with the inner dial in lighter green and the outer portion darkening to a deeper green.

The watch has a gold-tone case and a leather strap.  The hour markers are in white outlined with a thin golden line.  The watch hands are similar outlined with a metallic gold tone.

Watch Construction

Of course, all the glitters is not gold.  I'm sure that a watch that retails for less than $30 won't contain any gold at all.  But, it is a little shiny.  The case is a base metal alloy and the caseback is stainless steel. The strap is made in China from a nice vegan leather. (I don't think China should treat vegans this way, but as long as no part of the vegan goes to waste, I guess it is o.k.)  They make a nice strap that looks like leather.  The crystal is glass.

As a rather dressy casual watch, there is no water resistance promised on the watch or in the online copy.  It's simply a watch for sitting by the beach and not swimming and that's o.k.  The watch uses a Made in Singapore movement powered by a common SR626 battery.

Watch Dimensions

This watch does look good on the wrist.  The watch diameter is 40 mm which is a wonderful proportion that combines readability and manly size without become a heavy hunk of metal on the wrist.  The case is not too thick.  The band width is 17 mm and the watch circumference was listed at 145 mm to 200 mm.  It fit my wrist fairly well.

Overall Impression

The watch comes in a nicely designed and executed box that includes a pillow and makes a nice impression. Overall, I was pleased by this purchase and the looks of this watch.  It's a good value for just about $30.

Watch Sighting: Caribbean Joe Analog Quartz Watch

Every once in awhile, I'll encounter a watch from Caribbean Joe Island Supply Company in stores like Ross, T.J. Maxx, or Marshalls.  They are always attractively packaged and evoke an island lifestyle.  On days, when I wish I lived on a little island hut, this brand looks like one that could take me there.

I recently saw this Caribbean Joe watch at a discount retailer in North Georgia.  It must have been a Ross or a Marshalls store.  While the store is a blur, this watch looked nice and almost enticed me to break my rule against non-functional sub-dials.  

When I looked further into Caribbean Joe watches on Amazon, I found that there are a wide variety and that they are very inexpensive.  The Caribbean Joe brand brings a casual island look that evokes the Hemingway era in a wristwatch.  With a low price point around $20, these watches are a real bargain.  It's kind of cool to find an interesting brand with a nice looking quartz watch and an attractive price.

[Editor's Note:  I finally bought a Caribbean Joe watch at a Kohl's store in late August of 2023.  If you'd like to read a Caribbean Joe watch review, bang the link.