Sugess S420 GMT Review | Pepsi GMT-Master II Homage

The Sugess S420 GMT hardly needs an introduction. Plenty of brands have had a go at homaging this iconic design. But getting it right? That’s apparently rather more difficult.

Some look good from afar… and far from good once we get a little closer.

Then we have Sugess, a brand with a reputation for paying serious attention to the details. And with this one, they’ve come remarkably close to getting the whole package right. Almost. There are a couple of things we need to discuss.

One of them is the movement. Inside, we have the Peacock SL3032 GMT calibre, and that’s the main reason I wanted to get this particular watch in for review. A relatively new contender, and I was curious to see what it actually brings to the table.

But I was so focused on what was inside that I wasn’t quite prepared for the watch around it. Once I had this thing in hand, the level of execution really caught me off guard.

So, what surprises does Sugess have for us here? And where does that “almost” bit come into it?

Well, we have it here. So - Let’s take a closer look.

Design

Right, the design needs very little introduction. The Rolex GMT-Master arrived in 1955 and later became the official watch of Pan Am. More than seventy years on, plenty has evolved, but that basic visual formula is instantly recognisable.

The Sugess S420 GMT executes it exceptionally well.

I’ve reviewed homages from San Martin, Pagani Design and plenty of other brands. For me, Sugess is one of the brands that should make San Martin feel a little uncomfortable. When it comes to finishing and attention to detail, these two are going head to head. I certainly wouldn’t automatically put Sugess in second place.

The difference, I think, is that San Martin seems increasingly keen to experiment with original designs, while Sugess stays more firmly in homage territory. But when Sugess gets one right, we’re looking at some of the best execution available for the money. And this particular example makes a very strong case.

What really caught me off guard was the bezel action.

We have a bidirectional, 24-hour bezel, as we’d expect here, but the feel is seriously good. Very tactile, very positive. I recently reviewed a San Martin Tudor homage whose bezel action absolutely blew me away. This one might just edge it. Only slightly, and they’re different watches, but that gives you an idea of the level we’re talking about.

Then we have the smaller details, including the engraving around the rehaut. More brands are doing that now, admittedly, but it adds another layer of detail here. The case finishing is beautifully handled, and the dial looks convincing too, although I do have a small reservation about one of the dial elements and we'll come back to that in a moment.

The bracelet also feels really nice. The clasp, however, surprised me and for a different reason.

It’s a sleek, milled, double-pusher design with on-the-fly adjustment. Actually, this is one of my favourite clasp styles: straightforward, robust and practical. But it’s quite different from the clasp we’d find on the equivalent Rolex.

So, Sugess follows the familiar design very closely elsewhere, then takes a different direction underneath the wrist. I’m not entirely sure what to make of that aesthetically, but I certainly appreciate the adjustability.

Overall, though, this thing feels superb in hand. Very well finished, very well put together, and it looks absolutely fantastic.

Definitely an attention-grabber. Whether I’d want quite that much attention walking around central London… or Paris, for that matter… is another question.

Anyway, let’s focus on the positives.

Dimensions

Right, dimensions. Pretty straightforward for this style of watch.

My calipers give us a case diameter of just over 40 millimetres, with a 20-millimetre lug width. The bracelet then tapers nicely to around 16 millimetres at the clasp, which gives it a more elegant look.

Lug to lug, I’m getting around 48 millimetres. However, the effective wingspan is actually even a little tighter than that, thanks to the inverted end links sitting ever so slightly recessed between the lugs. A little detail I always appreciate on this style of watch.

As for the case thickness, I’m measuring approximately 12.9 millimetres. Not the slimmest option, and given the Peacock SL3032 inside, I do wonder whether they could have shaved a little more off. But it’s certainly not an issue for me.

Finally, putting on the scales and on the supplied stainless steel bracelet, we’re looking at around 145 grams. A pretty good weight for a sports watch of this style.

Case

The S420 GMT has a very familiar case design, executed really well. Satin brushing across the top contrasts with highly polished flanks, and those polished surfaces look smooth and even, without the waviness we sometimes see on lower-quality cases.

On the right-hand side, classic crown guards protect a nicely proportioned screw-down crown, signed with an engraved “S” logo. The threading feels nice and smooth, so no complaints here. Pulling the crown fully out also reveals a small black gasket around the threaded section, helping to seal against dust and water.

Around the back, things are equally straightforward: a sterile screw-down caseback with longitudinal brushing and a polished bevel around it.

Declared water resistance is 200 metres, more than enough for this type of watch and certainly suitable for swimming, making it a very practical everyday piece.

Crystal

The crystal is also nicely executed. We have flat sapphire with a neatly bevelled edge, and the AR coating does a decent job. It’s not the best I’ve seen, but it’s sufficient for this high-contrast, legible dial.

As always, I tested the cyclops too, and yes, that’s sapphire as well. The magnification looks to be around two to two-and-a-half times, making the date very easy to read. No complaints here.

Bezel

Now, the S420 GMT’s bezel. I’ve already mentioned how good it is, but it deserves a closer look.

We have a ceramic insert here, and I really like these colours. The red is quite restrained, paired with a similarly subdued blue. Nothing overly bright, and the transitions at six and eighteen are neatly handled, as are the engraved 24-hour markings.

Red-and-blue ceramic has presented some real manufacturing challenges over the years. Rolex, for example, developed a specific process to achieve that combination. And as Sugess and other manufacturers have explained, red ceramic is generally more expensive to produce. That’s reflected in this listing, where the red-and-blue version is considerably more expensive than the colourways without red. Visually, though, Sugess has done a really good job. I particularly like this subtle combination of dark blue and dark red. It works beautifully here.

The insert also sits neatly within the stainless steel surround, without an exposed ceramic edge sticking up. That’s a small detail I appreciate. A poorly seated insert can leave a sharp edge that gradually works away at a shirt cuff. Everything here feels nicely contained and properly finished.

The bezel itself sits securely on the case, with virtually no lateral movement. And the action? Outstanding.

It’s bidirectional, with just the right amount of resistance. Easy enough to turn deliberately, but firm enough that I’m unlikely to knock it out of position accidentally. That matters when we’re using it to track a third time zone: once set, we want it to stay there.

The clicks aren’t particularly loud, but they’re distinct and very satisfying. Once it settles into position, there’s practically no play. It just feels exceptionally well put together.

If I’m going to complain about anything, it’s the lack of lume on the markings.

The equivalent Rolex doesn’t have a lumed bezel either, so Sugess is certainly sticking to the script there. Personally, though, I’d happily take that little departure from the original. Being able to read the bezel in the dark would make it more useful on a GMT.

That’s really my only reservation. Otherwise, this is probably the best GMT bezel I’ve handled so far.

Bracelet

Moving to the bracelet, we have a well-executed stainless steel Jubilee-style design, with solid links, solid end links and excellent integration with the case. Sugess has this design well sorted on the S420 GMT.

The finishing follows the familiar formula: polished centre links, satin-brushed outer links and screws for sizing.

There’s plenty of fluidity, although those five rows aren’t independently moving pieces. The sections are joined together within each link. Still, the small links provide plenty of flexibility around the wrist while keeping sideways movement more controlled.

Now, the clasp. As mentioned earlier, this particular design surprised me.

It’s a sleek, milled, double-pusher clasp with roughly six millimetres of on-the-fly adjustment. Brushed finishing, polished chamfers and the Sugess signature complete a robust, comfortable package.

But visually, it’s quite different from the equivalent Rolex clasp. This appears to be a recent update, because older reviews show something much closer to that design.

A problem for me? No. I like the clasp, the branding and the adjustability. But if resemblance to the original matters to you, it’s worth knowing about this change. I suspect this is the version we’ll see going forward.

Wearability

It also balances the watch head nicely. Combined with the flexible bracelet and manageable proportions, that makes this a really comfortable watch on the wrist.

Verdict

Right, pricing and verdict.

They’ve sold hundreds of these, so clearly the Sugess S420 GMT has found its audience. Having spent some time with it, I can understand why.

At the time of the review, the advertised 11.11 price was around $275 before tax, which sounds very good for this level of execution. For me, this is an easy recommendation.

However, before buying, double-check exactly which version we’re getting, because the listing is a little confusing.

This Pepsi version appears to be the most expensive. Choosing another bezel colour could save around $50, so there’s a worthwhile saving if red and blue isn’t essential.

There also seems to be some variation in the bezel lume. The black version appears to have lumed markings, whereas this one doesn’t. And it looks as though the older clasp design may still be available on certain options, if that’s your preference.

Rather than trying to decipher everything from the listing, I’d message the shop and confirm the bezel, lume and clasp on the exact option you’re considering. At this price, it’s worth getting those details clear.

A very impressive S420 GMT with the Peacock SL3032. Highly recommended.

What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments. And before checking out, have a look at the discount codes in the video description; they could bring that price down further.

Dial

Turning to the dial, no points for originality here, obviously. But the execution is crisp, and there are a couple of details worth highlighting.

We have Sugess branding engraved around the rehaut, a subtle touch that adds to the overall finish. The dial itself is clean and has a very good contrast. And we have the Sugess branding and Ocean Star name below twelve, and three lines of text above six.

I’m not entirely convinced by the “Diver’s 200M” wording. To me, that suggests a proper dive-watch specification, and I’d like to see the relevant testing documented to back it up. A straightforward “200M” would have been enough. But that’s me being pedantic; it’s hardly a major complaint.

More importantly, the lume is really good.

Here’s my usual fifteen-minute lume test, and the performance is very respectable. Based on what I’m seeing, I’d expect it to remain readable through the night, which makes this a practical watch after dark as well.

Absolutely no complaints there.

Movement

Now, let’s look at what initially attracted me to this GMT: the movement.

Inside, we have the Peacock SL3032. I’ve reviewed Peacock movements and watches before, including a column-wheel chronograph quite recently curiously enough inside of another Rolex homage ftom Sugess. But this particular GMT calibre is a first for me.

It belongs to Peacock’s SL3 family, which is based on Swiss ETA 2824-2 architecture- it runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a quoted power reserve of at least forty hours. We also get hand-winding and hacking seconds. So, a familiar set of fundamentals, with a higher beat rate than the NH34.

But there are a few things worth discussing.

First, accuracy. While researching this movement, I kept coming across owners reporting very impressive results. Naturally, I wanted to see whether this example would live up to those reports.

And on the timegrapher, it certainly makes a good first impression. We can confirm the 28,800 beat rate, the beat error is practically zero, and the rate is looking very impressive indeed.

That’s a measurement of this particular watch under these conditions, of course. It doesn’t establish how every example will perform, or guarantee exactly the same result on the wrist. But as a starting point? Very encouraging.

Now, whenever I show results like this, somebody asks whether reviewers receive specially regulated watches.

I can’t account for everything that happens before a watch reaches me. But many of the watches I receive come from stock already sitting in European warehouses, sometimes for weeks or months. They’re being picked, packed and shipped from existing inventory.

So, a good result doesn’t automatically mean somebody prepared a special movement for the channel. Equally, I’m showing you the example I received, rather than promising yours will deliver identical numbers.

And while we’re talking timegraphers, yes, I know: the lift angle.

I don’t always change that setting, and it affects the calculated amplitude. So we shouldn’t treat the displayed amplitude as an exact measurement unless the correct lift angle is set.

My main focus here is the rate, beat error and confirming the beat frequency. I still keep an eye on amplitude, but an unexpectedly low reading would be a reason to check the settings and investigate further. This is a practical performance check, rather than a watchmaker’s service report.

The next important point is how the GMT operates.

The Peacock SL3032 is a caller GMT. We can adjust the 24-hour hand independently, broadly the same arrangement we get with the NH34. In the calendar-setting position, turning the crown one way changes the date; turning it the other way adjusts the GMT hand.

Personally, I like that arrangement. It suits how I use a GMT.

But for the record the Rolex GMT-Master II has an independently adjustable local hour hand, which makes it a traveller GMT. So, although the looks are very familiar, we’re getting a different setting system here. Worth knowing before buying.

Finally, one small detail I’m less enthusiastic about: the date font.

It’s perfectly legible, especially under that magnifier, but the numerals have quite an angular, almost digital appearance. For my taste, something a little more rounded would suit the dial better..

A deal-breaker? Definitely not. But with the magnification making that date so prominent, it’s a detail I notice.

Overall, though, this Peacock SL3032 has made a very promising first impression.

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