Watch Gang Subscription Review: Is This Watch Club Worth Joining?
For watch enthusiasts and collectors, a subscription service that delivers brand new timepieces to your door every month sounds almost too good to be true. That‘s exactly what Watch Gang promises – but is this buzzed-about watch club really worth your hard-earned money?
In this comprehensive Watch Gang review, we‘ll take a detailed look at how the service works, the kinds of watches you can expect to receive, real customer experiences, and more to help you decide if Watch Gang deserves a spot on your wrist.
How Does Watch Gang Work?
Watch Gang is a watch subscription service that sends members a new mystery watch every month. Here‘s a quick rundown of how it works:
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Pick your plan: Watch Gang offers three subscription tiers (Original, Black, and Platinum) at different price points, which we‘ll get into below.
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Wait for your watch: After signing up, Watch Gang will handpick a watch and send it straight to your door. All plans ship by the 16th of each month.
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Keep your watch: Unlike some other clubs, you get to keep all the watches you receive through Watch Gang – there‘s no need to return them.
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Get a new watch next month: Watch Gang subscriptions automatically renew each month, so you‘ll keep receiving new watches for as long as you remain a member.
One important thing to note is that you don‘t get to pick which specific watches you receive. Watch Gang selects watches to send you based on your chosen tier and the preferences you fill out when signing up, but the exact models are a surprise until you open the box.
Watch Gang Subscription Plans and Pricing
As mentioned, Watch Gang offers three core subscription plans. Here‘s how they break down:
Original Tier:
- Price: $49.99 per month
- Watch value: $50-$150
- Includes fashion watches and microbrands
Black Tier:
- Price: $99.99 per month
- Watch value: $150-$500
- Includes well-known brands and up-and-coming microbrands
Platinum Tier:
- Price: $299.99 per month
- Watch value: $500-$1,500
- Includes luxury watches and premium microbrands
You can pay month-to-month or prepay for a longer subscription (3, 6, or 12 months) to get a discount of up to 20%.
What Kinds of Watches Does Watch Gang Send?
To give you an idea of the types and brands of watches you might find in your Watch Gang box, here are a few examples from real members:
Original Tier:
- Citizen Eco-Drive Chronograph
- Szanto Heritage Aviator
- Axwell The Companion Chronograph
Black Tier:
- Glycine Combat Sub Automatic
- Spinnaker Hull Automatic
- Filson Dutch Harbor
Platinum Tier:
- Fortuna Avalon Moonphase
- Raymond Weil Tango 300
- Oris Aquis Date
Watch Gang partners with both well-established brands and smaller microbrands to source their watches. While the Original Tier mostly consists of quartz watches and fashion brands, the Black and Platinum Tiers primarily feature automatic watches from respected watchmakers.
According to Watch Gang, every watch you receive will have a retail value equal to or greater than what you paid for that month‘s subscription. However, some customers have disputed those valuations, which we‘ll touch on in a bit.
Watch Gang Customer Reviews and Feedback
So what do actual Watch Gang members think of the service? It‘s a bit of a mixed bag. On Watch Gang‘s own site, most of the reviews are positive, praising the variety of watches, the fun of getting a surprise timepiece every month, and the value for the price.
However, if you venture outside of Watch Gang‘s walls, you‘ll find some more critical takes. On Reddit‘s r/watches subreddit, a common complaint is that Watch Gang inflates the retail prices of their watches, so the "value" you‘re getting isn‘t as great as it seems.
There are also quite a few posts from members who received watches that didn‘t align with their style or size preferences. Since you don‘t have full control over which watches you receive, getting a watch that isn‘t to your taste is always a risk.
Customer service also seems hit-or-miss based on reports from Reddit and Trustpilot. Some members had great experiences with Watch Gang‘s support team, while others complained of slow response times or unhelpful replies.
How Watch Gang Stacks Up to the Competition
Watch Gang isn‘t the only player in the watch subscription game. Other popular clubs include Watch Gang Wheel, Acquire, and Bezel.
Compared to these rivals, Watch Gang‘s key advantages are its well-defined tiers, significant retail partnerships, and large social media presence. It also offers one of the widest price ranges, with watches from under $100 all the way up to $1500.
However, some of the other clubs provide a bit more predictability and customization. With Watch Gang, you‘re truly rolling the dice every month, whereas something like Bezel allows you to pick your watch from a personalized selection.
Is Watch Gang a Legit Company?
One common question about Watch Gang is whether it‘s a legitimate business, especially with its emphasis on "mystery" watches and social media hype. The short answer is yes, Watch Gang is a real company that delivers real products.
Watch Gang was founded in 2016 by Matthew Gallagher and has grown rapidly in the past few years. It has a physical headquarters in Los Angeles, partnerships with reputable brands, and coverage from major media outlets.
While Watch Gang‘s marketing can sometimes feel over-the-top, and its valuations have been called into question, there‘s no evidence that the company is an outright scam. You will receive watches when you sign up, and you can cancel your subscription if you‘re unsatisfied.
Conclusion: Is Watch Gang Worth It For You?
Ultimately, whether Watch Gang is worth it depends on your expectations and preferences. If you‘re the type of watch collector who enjoys surprises and trying out new styles, Watch Gang can be a fun and exciting way to grow your collection. The Black Tier, in particular, seems to offer the best balance of quality and value.
On the other hand, if you‘re very particular about your watches and only interested in specific brands or models, the surprise aspect of Watch Gang may end up frustrating you. Flipping watches you don‘t want can be time-consuming, and there‘s no guarantee you‘ll love what you get.
Our recommendation: if you have some discretionary income and want to treat yourself to a monthly watch surprise, give Watch Gang a shot for a month or two. Worst case scenario, you can cancel and sell or gift the watches. Best case, you‘ll discover awesome new timepieces you wouldn‘t have found on your own. Just make sure to do your own research on the watches‘ actual values and don‘t put too much stock in Watch Gang‘s retail price estimates.
Have you tried Watch Gang yourself? Let us know about your experience in the comments! And if you‘re still on the fence, check out some of our other favorite men‘s subscription boxes for more options.
