A Watch Gang Review: Is The Subscription Really Worth It?

In the era of smartphones and smartwatches, is a classic wristwatch even relevant anymore?

Absolutely! More than a way to track time, a wristwatch is a simple and elegant style showcase.  

If you want a budget-friendly way to build a collection, so your watch will always match what you’re wearing and where you’re wearing it to — consider a watch subscription service.

Let's take a closer look at Watch Gang, one of the original and most popular watch subscription services available.

Is Watch Gang a legit service you can count on? This Watch Gang review has everything you need to know.

What Is Watch Gang?

Watch Gang is a mystery watch subscription service that was first launched in September 2016. It’s similar to Dollar Shave Club, Ipsy, and other subscription or mystery box programs. Founder Matthew Gallagher has loved watches since childhood and had a passion to help others build their own collections.

How Does It Work

Every month, usually around the middle, you'll receive a brand-new watch delivered right to your door. It’s a mystery watch, so you don’t get to pick it beforehand. However, you do have some control over the general type of watch, depending on which subscription plan you choose.

The watch is then yours to keep forever. The company switches up the types of watches they send, so you can build a collection with a variety suitable for the workplace, casual events, dates, and other occasions.

Quick tip: Most fashion experts believe you should have at least two watches – one for everyday use and another for special events.    

Plans and Prices

Watch Gang offer three subscription tiers:

• Original
• Black
• Platinum

The differences between the tiers are fairly significant, so let’s break it down:

Original Tier

At $49.99 a month, their lowest-priced plans offer a selection of attractive and sophisticated watches, although they’re not necessarily from high-end brands you’ll recognize.

The monthly price drops if you commit to longer subscription plans:

• A three-month subscription is $142.50, saving you 5% off the monthly price
• A six-month subscription is $269.99, saving you 10%
• A year subscription is $479.99, saving you 20%

This plan will get you watches with either Japanese Miyota or Seiko movements. The movement is the mechanism that keeps the time and propels the watch’s hands forward. While not absolutely top-of-the-line, Miyokta and Seiko quartz movements are popular and reliable — found in many brands.

The goal of the Original Plan is to give you access to a wide variety of watch styles. You’ll receive a mix of classic, sport, and military watches. And all of them will have either a stainless steel or leather band.

Black Tier  

Subscribing to the Black Tier plan increases both the style and quality, appealing to a more fashion-conscious customer. It’s just about $100 a month, though prices drop with a longer subscription plan:

• A three-month plan is $299.99, saving you up to $30
• A six-month plan is $549.99, saving you up to $50
• A one-year plan is $1099.99, saving you up to $100

Most of the watches in the Black plan are Japanese or Swiss quartz, although you’ll also receive watches with automatic movement. It’s a type of watch movement that’s powered by kinetic energy from your wrist. You don’t wind the watch manually.

Is manually winding some colossal hassle? Of course not, but an automatic movement watch is considered fancier and more sophisticated. Plus, they keep time more accurately.

Our Watch Gang review for Black Tier is this:

It’s great for those who already like watches and want to build a collection. You might already have a few budget-friendly watches for daily wear, but now you’re ready to up your watch game in both style and internal function.   

Platinum

Finally, we have the Watch Gang review Platinum Tier, which they refer to as their Cadillac plan. It’s $299.99 a month with three ways to save:

• The three-month plan is $899.99 a month, saving you $30
• The six-month plan is $1699.99 a month, saving you $100
• Their one-year plan is $3399.99, saving you $200

You get a wide range of watches, including both quartz and automatic movements. Styles vary to include sporty, classic, and more. Their site lists watches from previous months, so you can get an idea of what to expect.

Our Watch Gang review for the Platinum model is this:

The main appeal here is if you want an expensive watch collection, but don’t care too much about specific brands or styles.

Watches in this plan are worth up to $1,500. If you stick with the plan long enough, you’ll wind up with watches worth more than what you’re paying in subscription fees.

How Well Do the Watches Fit?

Generally, you won’t have a problem. The leather straps are the same standard size you’d find in any store, so they’ll fit practically anyone. Additionally, the metal bands are what’s called a full bracelet. They include a few extra links that you can remove to create an appropriate fit.

Unfortunately, if a standard fit doesn’t work for you, you’ll need to directly contact the watch manufacturer for different band options.

Watch Giveaway

Another noteworthy aspect of Watch Gang is their weekly watch giveaway.

Each Friday at noon, they hold a livestream on their social media pages. The name of a subscriber is randomly selected. They receive a high-end luxury watch, such as one from Rolex, Seiko, and more.

All subscribers are eligible, and you don’t have to watch the stream live to win. While the Friday giveaway isn’t a main part of the service, it is a fun bonus.

How Watch Gang Works

How does Watch Gang make money? Don’t worry. You’re not getting stolen watches or anything nefarious.

Watch Gang obtains bulk discounts from manufacturers. They can negotiate a lower price per watch and pass along some of those savings while still making a profit.

Pros and Cons of Watch Gang

While there’s a lot to like about the service, but it also has room for improvement in some regards. At this point in this Watch Gang review, let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons:

Pros:

• It’s an easy and affordable way to build a stylish watch collection
• It’s a fun and informative introduction to the world of watches
• They offer three flexible subscription options
• You could potentially win a luxury watch

Cons:

• You have no control over the watches you’ll receive
• You won’t get a refund if you cancel a prepaid plan

While the cons are worth consideration, they do apply to practically any other mystery product subscription service.

Final Thoughts: An Overview of Watch Gang

In this Watch Gang review, we'd like to finish up by answering some of the most common questions about the brand. Is it legit? Yes, it’s legit. You’ll get the watches they promise. While not all of the watches are major brands, they’re still well-made and fashionable.

Is Watch Gang worth it? The answer depends on what you’re looking for. If you want a varied collection of watches and aren’t into any particular watch brand, Watch Gang is an affordable and easy solution.

However, you do sacrifice control over the watches in your collection. If you want to pick out each watch individually, you might end up with more you dislike than you like with any subscription plan.

Ultimately, we’d like to sum up this Watch Gang review by saying they offer a robust selection at a fair price. They’re a reputable company with accessible customer service. If it’s time for you to join a mystery watch subscription service, Watch Gang is an excellent option with a lot of benefits.   

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