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.

Men's Watches with Class

Four Men's Watches With Class

Class is an interesting word when it comes to watches.  As a personal accessory for men, a watch is a chance to express individual style.  But, when it comes to class, there are elements of refinement, taste, and pedigree that must perfectly combine into a timepiece.  While a storied watchmaker can certainly add to the pedigree of a watch, how the wearer sports his timepiece is a key element of class.

President Eisenhower's Rolex Datejust

Some watches are like an end zone dance in American football.  According to old school icons like Bear Bryant, when players score, they should act like they've been in the end zone before.  The end zone dance is just an unsportsmanlike way to rub victory into the faces of the vanquished.  So, while a high end pedigreed watch can make a statement, the demeanor of the wearer changes whether that watch is a score or an end zone dance.  To be classy, a watch should make a subtle, tasteful, statement rather than a gaudy display.

Here are four of the classiest watches in my personal collection:

1. Tissot Carson Powermatic 80.  This watch has the pedigree of a powerful name brand, a traditional automatic movement, and the Swiss Made label.  Yet, it is not so expensive that it lurks outside the realm of imagination.  It's also not in the least bit gaudy.  It's an understated, conservative, watch that looks great with a suit.  You can find plenty of similar Tissot Powermatic 80 watches on Amazon.

2.  Bulova Dress Watch.  My quartz Bulova Dress Watch sports the iconic tuning fork logo and subtly evokes the tech sector with a graph-like grid in the background.  It's simple and tasteful.  While my Bulova is hardly a high dollar timepiece, the brand has historic appeal and luxury connotations for most middle class Americans. 

3.  Pulsar Dress Watch.  My first Pulsar dress watch is all business.  It is simple, elegant, competent, and non-intrusive.  It says that it's told time before and that it's good at the business of telling time.  This watch was minimalist before minimalism was cool.

4.  Seiko University of Florida Dress Watch.  Long, long ago, I graduated from the University of Florida and received this Seiko as a graduation gift.  It features the University's Century Tower and University Auditorium.  By today's standards, it has a rather small dial.  The bezel and bracelet appear to be inspired by the Rolex Perpetual Datejust.  Overall, it's a nice look and lets people know that I am at least somewhat educated.