Hi all,

As per the subject, is there? A non-destructive, non-invasive, other than just tactile, fairly objective way to tell if the steel alloy the case is made of is any good? You might remember my disappointment about the Sowar, now I'm not sure about what to think about my latest Zodiac acquisition. When I handle it, it just doesn't feel on par with my other affordable Swiss watches (Fortis, Glycine etc) -- feels lighter, more plasticky, the bezel feels outright aluminium-like to me. I don't know any other WIS around to get a second opinion from.

One compromise I got aware of after placing the order and that I was prepared to accept was the movement -- the 'Swiss made' Sea-Gull ST2100. But when the watch came on Monday and I started 'feeling it out', I got an impression that it wasn't the only cost cut, and in the end I'm paying the price of a Swiss entry-level piece for some Chinese tat that should be priced somewhere between 200-400 euros at the most. I love the looks of the watch but it feels too much like I'm being screwed and I'm considering returning it while I'm under the EU statutory protection. The quality of the watch as a whole is still acceptable, I'm just having serious doubts if, say, EUR800-acceptable.

I was thinking of contacting Zodiac/Fossil so they can confirm the materials used, but the thing is, if it's sourced from China, then "316L" can mean anything from true 316L to low-grade crap.

Thoughts? Advice?