So last Tuesday I decided to finally figure out if Shinola Detrola watches are worth the hype. Didn’t just walk into the store blind – had my little notebook ready like always. First thing, grabbed the Detrola. Held it in my palm, you know? Felt… fine. Not heavy, not light. Just kinda… there. Turned it over. The back looked clean enough. But man, that price sticker shocked me. For what?
Test Drive Time
Wore the Detrola solid for three days. Day one: battery was dead already. Had to walk downtown to get it replaced. Annoying. Day two: noticed how thick the case sits on my wrist. Kept snagging on my jacket sleeve, drove me nuts trying to pull cash from my pocket. Day three? A tiny, stupid scratch appeared near the 3 o’clock marker just from brushing against my keys. Seriously?
The Competition Corner
Okay, so Detrola felt like a letdown. Went back to the shop armed with doubts. Tried on three others people always talk about:
- That basic Seiko everyone loves: Bam. Instantly smoother feeling winding it up. Cleaner dial. Half the price.
- The fashion quartz watch next to it: Looked flashier, sure. But held it? Pure plastic underneath. Flimsy band.
- The used Citizen eco-drive in the case: Used, but the damn display was clearer than Detrola. Solar powered? Sweet.
Just handling them back-to-back? Shinola suddenly felt stiff and overpriced. Like paying extra for the Detroit logo plastered on top.
The Scratch Test
Got curious. Took my house key – gently! – to the display model Detrola’s crystal. Left a faint, cloudy line. Did the same to the Seiko beside it. Nothing. Wiped clean with my thumb. Felt like I’d cracked the code right there.
Customer Service Surprise
Emailed Shinola about that dumb scratch on my watch, playing dumb. Took them four whole days to reply with a generic “sorry, sucks for you” email. Meanwhile, walked into the Seiko dealer for a battery question? Guy fixed it while I stood there, smiling. Didn’t even buy it from him.
What Actually Went Down
Look, I wanted to like the Shinola Detrola. Thought it’d be this cool heritage thing. Reality hit hard:
- The band felt stiff and cheap as hell.
- Battery died immediately out of the box.
- Scratched way too easy compared to others.
- Cost a bunch more for the name.
- Service was sluggish and impersonal.
Put it next to the Seiko or even that used Citizen eco-drive? Detrola felt like a total ripoff. It just didn’t do anything better. Felt like paying for a nice box and some marketing hype. Wouldn’t touch them again myself. Save your cash, grab something simpler that actually works.
