In this video I’m talking about the Militado ML18, and yeah… I normally don’t do negative reviews because I usually buy watches I already like. But this time, not so much. I like Militado as a brand (I’m literally wearing the ML20 as a comparison), so I came in with pretty high expectations. The watch head itself actually has a lot going for it: it’s basically a Sinn 556i-style homage in a smaller 35.8mm case, it’s thin at 9.8mm, and the dial is super clean because there’s no date. The big problem is the bracelet. The screw pins were a pain in the ass to remove, and even after doing this for years, I ended up with a bracelet that’s basically useless. I did contact the seller and they said they’ll send a replacement, but it hasn’t happened yet—so I’m running it on straps for now. On the plus side, Militado chose a 20mm lug width (thank you), the watch is very light at around 52g on a strap, and the Seiko VH31 gives that smooth 4-ticks-per-second sweep that looks almost automatic. Lume is BGW9 and it’s decent, but the ML20 is stronger. If the bracelet gets sorted, this could be a great buy under $100—right now, it’s a “wait and see.”