Watch Review: Rolex Hulk vs. Pagani Hulk

I don’t like homage watches. While they aren’t as bad as replicas, they still fundamentally lack originality. They confess an unwillingness to even try to cultivate a unique taste distinct from the most popular and hyped of designs.

Yet I must confess I have a mild fascination with homage-focused brands like Invicta and Pagani Design. I can’t imagine what it is like to manage a product that is just a cheap ctrl+c/ctrl+v of something else. The question their existence always begs is simply this: What makes the more expensive option actually better?

Is a Rolex Submariner truly worth thousands of dollars more than a $100 Pagani Design homage? Perhaps we can learn something from an extended comparison. As a happy owner of a Rolex all green “Hulk” I have been wanting to write a review for a while now. Using the homage as a lens seemed like a fun exercise. After extensive examination I noted several areas where the Rolex is, perhaps unsurprisingly, clearly superior. This non-exhaustive list includes the ten biggest differences that I noticed myself. Enjoy.

1. The Dial

At a glance both watches have similar green sunburst dials. Due credit to Pagani for recreating that multi-hued effect that melds multiple shades of green in an attractive dial in any lighting. However when we compare it piece by piece with the Submariner the shortcomings come to light. It starts with the cyclops and date window. Side by side the Pagani looks like its in 240p while Rolex is in HD. It’s just night and day how much sharper the date numerals look in the Rolex. The Rolex dial is also much more detailed with its inner ring printing, its white gold hands and indices, and its richer combination of greens. Finally, the blue lume on the Rolex is much brighter than the Pagani’s.

2. The Bezel

Both watches feature ceramic bezel inserts. This is good because it means better scratch resistance. The first obvious difference between the two brands here is the coloring. The Pagani’s is much darker and looks black in most lighting while the Rolex’s is a much brighter green. Both are 120 click unidirectional diving bezels. It’s in the details that Rolex takes the lead. The action on the Submariner bezel is much nicer with its silky feel. It has less back-play compared to the Pagani and uses platinum to fill the wells for the numerals and indices.

3. The Finishing

At a distance, both watches are pretty similar. The Pagani will fool the nearsighted pretty effectively. However break out a magnifying glass and the differences are very obvious. For one the satin finishing on the Rolex is way smoother and more consistent. This stands out most on the clasp but you can also see it in the lugs and bracelet links. The polishing on the Rolex is much sharper. You can actually see reflections in it and the bracelet flanks and crown are much shinier than on the Pagani. The textured signed crown on the Rolex is another nice touch. Props to Pagani for at least having a signed crown. The Pagani features decent polishing on the case sides though it is much more prone to smudging and considerably duller.

4. The Bracelet

I have a very painful test I do with watch bracelets: I set them as tight as possible on my hairy arms and then push and pull the watch slowly up and down to see if there is painful pinching. On the vast majority of watches, this is torture, and a key reason I generally prefer leather or canvas straps over metal bracelets. However the Rolex oyster is one of the few bracelets that gives me no suffering at all. It is just like butter on my nappy arms. It’s uncanny; I have no idea how they make such comfy bracelets. The Hulk is no exception. The Pagani does a pretty good job of copying the look with its decently brushed finishing. However it just can’t match the comfort of the Rolex. Every little slip up and down my arm stings to high heaven.

5. The Clasp

To put it simply, the Pagani clasp is awful. It is awkwardly sat requiring you to put a lot of pressure on your fingernail to get enough purchase to unlock it. It often isn’t clear whether or not it is fully locked in place. It tries to copy the Submariner double lock clamshell design but fails miserably with its overly long inner clasp being so weirdly juxtaposed to the outer lock. The outer lock also feels flimsy and loose, like an errant bump could rip it off clean. By contrast the Rolex clasp is simply perfection. Not only do you get that deliciously crisp snappy action on both locks, but you also get the glorious glidelock system for flawless micro adjustment. It’s just the best sports watch bracelet clasp full stop.

6. The Case

Let’s start with the glass. Both are sapphire, meaning good scratch resistance. However the Rolex has better anti-reflective treatment, meaning it looks better in a wider variety of lighting. It is also a higher grade of sapphire I think because it doesn’t smear as easily. The Pagani looks cloudy and smudged immediately after touching your fingers while the Rolex stays pretty sharp looking. Secondly, the submariner is a bit slimmer than the Pagani. It slips nicely under a suit sleeve and just generally feels more comfortable. The Pagani does feature a display caseback but honestly, given the rather boring undecorated movement it is showing off I don’t know that it’s a positive. I prefer more simple casebacks for dive watches anyway.

7. Movement

This was an interesting one to actually measure. I used a watch accuracy smartphone app and did a number of readings with the watches at different positions and levels of power reserve. The Rolex was consistently at ±0 only briefly vacillating up or down a second at most during the readings. The Pagani was much less consistent. Fully wound, a reading right on the dial watch facing up, would score -3, pretty great for a watch at this price. However the beat rate error was much worse and when not fully wound the accuracy was as bad as -12. Furthermore it has a far inferior power reserve with only 41 hours compared to the Rolex’s 70. Another point in the Rolex’s favor: It beats at 28800 bph compared to the Pagani’s 21600, making the Rolex’s accuracy more technically impressive and giving its secondhand a smoother sweep. I wasn’t surprised to see the Rolex movement outperform the Pagani’s. I was surprised to see that the Pagani was as accurate as it was under certain conditions. Keep it wound or at least wear it regularly and you’ve got an extremely accurate watch for under $100.

8. Quality Control

Rolex COSC certification ensures that you’re getting a much sturdier watch that will last decades. Read reviews for Pagani and you’ll run into scores of horror stories of broken bezels, misalignments, or bum movements gaining a minute or more per day. The odds most likely will be in your favor; This specific Pagani model boasts a 4 1/2 star rating on Amazon so it seems like most buyers aren’t having issues. However don’t expect to pass it down to your kids. Anecdotal experience suggests Paganis rarely last more than a few years unless you’re very careful with them.

9. Water Resistance

Rolex: 300m. Pagani: 100m. ‘Nuff said.

10. The Overall Feel

This is a bit subjective but you can test it by just shaking both watches. The Pagani is much louder making a jingly jangly sound. The Rolex by contrast is much quieter suggesting a tighter build. Simply put the Pagani just feels cheap. The bracelet has a lot of sharp edges and pinches your arm. The clasp is unwieldy and flimsy in parts. The colors on the dial and bezel don’t pop as nicely. Like most of the cheaper homages it is something of a Monet.

Epilogue: The Real Difference

You’re getting a lot of watch for your $100 with the Pagani Hulk: A pretty solid Japanese automatic movement, ceramic dive bezel, 100m water resistance, sapphire glass, double lock clamshell clasp bracelet, and of course an eye catching though completely unoriginal design. Even if it weren’t an homage it would be a pretty good deal.

But it is an homage, and we should remember the reason for that. The Rolex Hulk, simply stated, is one of the ultimate flex watches. It’s a statement piece with more color and pizaz than a typical Submariner. It’s also an amazing investment if you got one before the hype. It’s the clout, the status, the potential to make some folks jealous that makes it worth homaging in the first place.

Take away all that and the Submariner is still a far better watch. $10,000 better? Certainly not. But it represents superior watchmaking on all levels. Still the Pagani deserves a lot of credit for all it does bring to the table at its price point. Real watch enthusiasts ought to be able to appreciate that without any snobbery.