In the world of watches, you have luxury brands like Rolex. You have established watchmakers with a long history, such as Seiko or Citizen. Then you have microbrands, like Bering, or Daniel Steiger.
Microbrand watches are where things become interesting. By analyzing their watches, you can tell if they are a good brand worth buying in or close to ‘junk’ status.
Where does Daniel Steiger stand in this? Are Daniel Steiger watches junk or gold? Let’s find out in this article.
Daniel Steiger History
I’m afraid there’s nothing much to write here for Daniel Steiger, as they are a recently founded watch brand.
Daniel Steiger watches are made by Timepieces International, formerly known as Timepiece USA.
This American watchmaker has been around since 1996, with its headquarters at Hialeah Gardens, Florida. The company makes watches for men and ladies, as well as jewelry.
If you take your time and browse through their website, you can see that they also offer matching watches (for him and her) and accessories such as cufflinks and pendants.
On the watches, it could be seen that the watches offered for men are significantly higher than for ladies. For the ladies, there is more jewelry on offer than watches.
As for the name Daniel Steiger, Timepieces International does not mention much about the namesake.
We took some time to search on Google and discovered that there is a public figure with the name Daniel Steiger.
However, he is an Olympian Swiss cyclist, competitive in the late 80s and early 90s. We cannot find any connection between him and the watch brand.
We will talk more about the watch itself further down in the sections in this article, so feel free to continue reading.
Where Are Daniel Steiger Watches Made?
Daniel Steiger makes their watches in China. They handle the designs at the US.
We arrived at this conclusion after searching around watch forums and from watch review websites. This is not surprising, as many microbrands (and even major brands such as Invicta) use this approach.
Timepieces International has not shared any information on where their watches were manufactured, which means they neither publicly confirm nor deny this.
This is also something many watchmakers do – many do not explicitly claim the origin of the watches.
This is well understood since, with the globalization of production, watches may have been designed elsewhere, with the production of parts and assembly from multiple countries.
Some people have apprehensions about buying products made in China. This sentiment is also strong for watches, with many preferring Swiss or Japanese timepieces.
However, this does not mean you should immediately answer ‘yes’ to the question “are Daniel Steiger watches junk?”
There are strong points about this watchmaker that might change your mind.
How Good Are Daniel Steiger’s Watches?
Are Daniel Steiger watches junk? How good are it’s watches?
Daniel Steiger’s watches are still relatively new in the market. So it hard to make a good judgement on its’ reputation.
This has always been the issue with microbrands. They do not have a long and proven reputation, unlike established watchmakers such as Citizen, Bulova, or Orient.
However, by analyzing the watches themselves and what was said in watch communities, we might be able to draw some ideas.
Construction
Most of Daniel Steiger’s watches are made of excellent materials that last long. Their watch cases are made of primarily 316L stainless steel.
316L stainless steel is common in food and pharmaceutical products production. It is considered better quality than other standard stainless steel such as 304L.
316L stainless steel is stronger and more resistant to corrosion due to having a higher content of chromium and molybdenum. This means Daniel Steiger watches would be able to handle the environment better and should protect the watch movement better.
Crystals
The watches have mineral crystals fitted to them, which is not bad. Mineral crystals are the second hardest watch crystals commonly used on watches, with sapphire crystals being the best.
Mineral crystals are cheaper to produce and seen on more affordable watches. It is, however, not as scratch resistant as sapphire crystal.
ALSO READ: Watch Crystals – What You Need To Know
Straps
Depending on the model, the watches also come with stainless steel bracelets or leather bands. Silicons straps are also on offer.
Stainless steel bracelets should last very long. However, avoid wearing them too tightly, as it may overstress the links and cause them to break.
They use genuine leather to make the leather bands. They are not top or full-grain leather, which are the best leathers you can get. Genuine leather is also better than bonded leather – which is the worst quality.
With these leather straps, you may need to take additional steps to take care of them, so they last longer, and be a little more careful if you plan to add additional holes on the strap.
The watches seem to have a screw caseback – which means it would be easier to open up the watch when you need to change the battery in the future. You only need a precision screwdriver.
They also use silicon to make rubber straps. Silicone straps are soft and might not require a break-in period. However, they can be a bit sticky and attract dust and lint easily.
If you are OCD, you might find yourself doing a lot of cleaning on the straps.
Water Resistance
The watches come with water resistance or at least 30M (99ft). This means the watches should handle splashes and casual pool sessions well. Some watches have stronger water resistance at 50M (165ft).
With this level of water resistance, perhaps it’s a good idea not to wear the watches to any serious water activity. Water resistance of at least 100M (330ft) is required for anything more serious such as surface diving. Anything beyond that will require a good dive watch.
Movement
This is probably where Daniel Steiger watches can shine – the watches might be made in China, but the movements are not. They feature movements from Switzerland, France, and Japan.
Not to say that Chinese movements are bad, but people generally seem to have much trust and confidence in Swiss or Japanese movements.
We could not find out the finer details on the movement makers. Still, most watchmakers that outsource their watch movements tend to use movements from companies such as Miyota or Seiko (Japan), Sellita or Ronda (Swiss).
We would expect the same from Daniel Steiger watches as well.
Majorities of the watches from Daniel Steiger are quartz, which is expected due to the pricing. They do carry a collection of automatic watches.
Design
Microbrands tend to shine on the design department. They do not have to worry about manufacturing and engineering and can focus on designing very well.
Daniel Steiger’s watches seem to carry designs from many watch styles – dive, dress, racing chronographs, etc. There are also watches in square, tank, and tonneau shapes.
The watches also seem bold, loud, and colorful in their designs. Some also have faux-diamonds attached to them. The watches also incorporate design elements that are a little ‘out there,’ such as skulls and dragons, but that should appeal to the right audience.
Some watches also carry design elements inspired by iconic watches such as the Rolex Submariner, Patek Philippe Nautilus, and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.
We would say that Daniel Steiger’s watches are probably on the fashion side for casual wear.
There are some dressier, serious dress watches that look formal and proper. Still, there are not too many of them in their catalog.
Is Daniel Steiger A High-End Watch?
No. Daniel Steiger cannot be seen as a high-end watch as they have not shown the qualities that made it so.
First, it is not of the price range that people may start to see it as high-end. Usually, watch brands could only be taken more seriously as high-end watches if they start offering at least four-figure priced watches.
To justify that price tag, there often need to be other features – more refined workmanship, better material, and often, in-house movements.
It is best to see Daniel Steiger as a fashion watch brand, similar to Fossil or Daniel Wellington.
What Are Daniel Steiger Watches’ Collection?
Daniel Steiger does not explicitly create collections for their watches by creating a model and then offering variations of it.
Therefore, we will be looking at their watches based on their watch style.
Dress Watches
Daniel Steiger offers both formal and casual dress watches. The formal watches are thin, minimal, and straightforward. This is usual for formal dress watches, as they need to be able to slide in and out from long sleeve shirt cuffs.
Some models come with additional flares that make it somewhat unique – The Meteorite, for example, has an actual piece of a meteorite on the dial. Perhaps this is inspired by Rolex, who have meteorite dials on their dress watches.
The more casual dress watches feature more designs. You start to see more stainless steel bracelets and larger dials and shapes. Some also draw their designs from iconic Swiss watches such as the Rolex Datejust, Patek Philippe Nautilus, or Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.
ALSO READ: 21 Affordable Watches That Look Like Rolex Datejust
Dive Watches
Daniel Steiger’s dive watches are not meant for actual diving. in fact, they are mentioned explicitly in their warranty details.
This means Daniel Steiger does not have any proper dive watches. You have ‘dive-inspired’ watches instead. So if you are looking for a proper dive watch, you might want to check out elsewhere.
Looking into their dive watches, their offerings could be simplified as Rolex Submariner or Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean lookalikes. Daniel Steiger did extra to add in bolder colors and flamboyant fishing.
Chronograph Watches
Daniel Steiger seems to be offering a lot of chronograph watches, especially those that carry the racing theme. They are priced from around $80 – $240.
Most come with the usual three subdial combinations – seconds, minutes, and hours. The watches also have raised bezels, luminescent hands, and large sizes.
The selection of colors is also bold, brave. This suits the racing theme – bold colors arouse emotion associated with things like speed.
Some models, such as the Imperial, look similar to Rolex Daytona. The three subdials are arranged at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock.
These chronographs offer at least 30M (99ft) water resistance, with some offering up to 100M (330ft). The watches are all quartz, battery-powered for easy maintenance.
GMT Watches
Some of Daniel Steiger’s watches do come with dual-time functionality, similar to GMT watches. This function is well appreciated by frequent travelers who have to move between timezones.
There are around 30+ watches with dual time, and the watches come in multiple designs. They are also relatively large in case size, with some as large as 46mm in size.
That is not the size many people can carry, as typical watch case sizes are around 40mm.
The watch also runs on either Japanese or Swiss quartz and features leather, rubber, or stainless steel bracelet watch straps. These watches cost around $120 – $250.
Tank, Square, and Tonneau Watches
Daniel Steiger’s collection of non-round watches tends to be in either tank, square of Tonneau shapes.
These watches could be as simple as a dress watch or come with complications that made them more of a chronograph. Some are chunky and thick, with shapes that will remind you of a Panerai.
When it comes to tank-shaped watches, people will constantly be reminded of Cartier Tank. And in the case of Daniel Steiger, they have watch models that look similar to Cartier Tank.
They do, however, have tank-shaped watches that have their own creative flair.
Their square and tonneau watch also carry designs close to iconic square-shaped watches, such as the Patek Philippe Nautilus. Some of their tonneau-shaped watches reflect the design of Richard Mille watches.
These watches often also come with complications, such as 24 hour time and day and date window.
Skeleton Watches
Daniel Steiger does carry a wide variety of skeleton watches.
Depending on your preference and liking for this, they have something as simple as open-heart skeletonization. You can see the balance wheel moving right from the dial window itself.
Some models such as the Inferno, have a full skeletonized dial.
The skeletonized watches also could come in various shapes, round, square, or tonneau. Some also have futuristic designs, bright colors, busy dials, and additional complications.
Limited Edition Watches
Daniel Steiger does release limited edition watches. These watches are either time-limited or only have limited units available for sale.
These limited edition watches are usually dedicated to a special event or a particular cause, for example, the Patriot Limited Edition.
The designs for these watches also follow the occasion that made the watch – for example, the Patriot Limited Edition carries an 18k gold fused case with additional US eagle badges.
Despite the name ‘limited,’ perhaps it’s better to have a more realistic expectation. These watches probably will not retain their value or go up in value over time.
Daniel Steiger is not a well-known watchmaker to generate enough demand for their limited edition watches.
ALSO READ: Does Seiko Watches Retain Value?
What Are Daniel Steiger Watches’ Pros and Cons?
Regardless of their stature, all watches carry a series of pros and cons. The same goes with Daniel Steiger. Take a look at this and then decide for yourself on the question are Daniel Steiger watches junk.
Daniel Steiger Pros: Affordable Price
If you look at their watches, Daniel Steiger is quite affordable. The pricing lingers around $100 to $300, with some models going up to $400+
This is perhaps, due to their production model. By outsourcing manufacturing and assembly to China, they can lower their production cost. This allows them to sell at a lower MSRP.
Some models also look similar to iconic Swiss timepieces. Some are close enough you could call them homages to these watches.
Suppose you have always wanted a Rolex Submariner but can’t justify splashing so much money for it. In that case, you can always get yourself a Daniel Steiger Evolution instead.
Daniel Steiger Pros: Reliable Movement
Daniel Steiger is made in China. However, their watch movements are from Switzerland, France, and Japan. This means you can have a reliable movement ticking in your watch.
Daniel Steiger never explicitly mentioned the movement makers that they feature in their watches. Perhaps it is their way of protecting their business.
But judging from what the other fashion watchmakers with no in-house movements are using, we could draw some educated guess.
Daniel Steiger’s movements might come from Japanese companies such as Miyota or Seiko or Swiss companies such as Sellita or Ronda.
Daniel Steiger Cons: A Little Too Bling?
This may be different, depending on individual preference in designs.
But we think some of Daniel Steiger’s designs are a little too loud, too bold, and in some ways, too much ‘bling.’
You might not see much loud and bold designs in iconic Swiss watches. Maybe these companies think they are not exquisite enough.
Instead, you see these designs in rap videos.
To each his liking, but these designs might have cheapened Daniel Steiger. It made Daniel Steiger have a more ‘backstreet’ than ‘high-street’ image.
Daniel Steiger Cons: Brand Recognition
The downside of microbrands is always the lack of recognition. This is something you must accept when purchasing a microbrand watch.
You will be alone, and the odd one out when everybody is rocking Seikos, Nixons, or Apple watches.
People might ask why you buy a Daniel Steiger. People might ask you more about the brand. Perhaps they are curious and want to know why you purchased a microbrand.
That means you need to be a little prepared to handle the ‘heat’ that might come your way.
You might need to answer people who ask you the question”Are Daniel Steiger Watches Junk.”
Microbrand watches also have reselling issues. For example, it might be hard to sell the watch on a secondary marketplace, and if you are to pawn the watch, you might not get good money from it.
ALSO READ: Do Pawn Shop Buy Watches With Dead Batteries?
Do Daniel Steiger Watches Appreciate In Value?
Likely no. To have a watch appreciate in value, it needs to generate more demand than supply.
Watches that appreciate in value also tend to be luxury watches, limited edition, or no longer in production. Another point that made watches appreciate in value over time is that a large crowd appreciates them.
Daniel Steiger watches do not seem to have many of these factors, so it might not be a good idea to assume their watches will increase in value in the future.
How Long Is Daniel Steiger Warranty?
All Daniel Steiger watches come with a generous five-year warranty. The warranty covers only the watch movement. The warranty does not cover:
- Case
- Straps
- Glass
- Batteries
- Damages from a result of misuse and neglect
The details of Daniel Steiger’s warranty are available on their website.
Where To Buy Daniel Steiger Watches?
To purchase brand new Daniel Steiger watches, you could purchase from their official online store. You could also shop at Amazon.
You can view their full collection on their online store. The watches are definitely genuine at their online store.
You can also view and check their new arrivals faster and stay up to date with their offerings.
The downside of their online store is that they do not seem to organize the watches by collections or watch type.
For example, you might need to see the whole catalog to make sure you have viewed all their dive watches.
But at least they only have around 300+ watches for men in total, so it is still not too bad.
Another location to consider is Amazon.
The best thing about shopping for Daniel Steiger watches on Amazon is knowing it is genuine. Amazon do not allow fake products.
Aside from that, you also get to read user reviews. You can view balanced reviews to answer the are Daniel Steiger watches junk in your mind.
If you buy from Daniel Steiger’s website, you might not be able to be sure of the user feedback, as they are in control.
Daniel Steiger could just remove all the negative comments on their website and leave the positive ones on. They cannot do this on Amazon since they are not in control of the comments.
We recommend shopping for Daniel Steiger watches with at least 4 out of 5 stars for your peace of mind.
Wrapping Up: Are Daniel Steiger Watches Junk?
So, after a lengthy investigation, let’s come back to the main questions – are Daniel Steiger watches junk?
Our answer: NOT JUNK.
Junk watches are basically blank factory watches, with brands printed on them.
On top of that, the workmanship is also bad, with terrible accuracy on the timekeeping.
Daniel Steiger is definitely very, very far from that level of mediocrity. Daniel Steiger watches are well-made. It also use reliable movements, and have a 5-year warranty. The prices are also very affordable.
So to us, Daniel Steiger is not junk but excellent watches to own.
If you are interested in fashion watches in general, we would like you to check our reviews on other major fashion watch brands such as Fossil, Stührling, and Invicta.