I was pleased to see that the author used the PT5000, one of my favorite calibers. As pointed out in the article it's a Chinese clone of the ubiquitous ETA 2824-2; this movement is used in a lot of affordable watches that are sold on AliExpress. You can get a Submariner homage with a sapphire crystal, ceramic bezel, lume, and full water resistance powered by this movement for $100 that keeps time just as well as a Swiss watch (i.e. within COSC standards). Before I sold it mine was running at +5spd... the Chinese watchmaking industry is truly something to behold.
Do you have any recommended resources for buying mechanical watch clones on aliexpress? Im interested in grabbing something but would love to get an idea of where to find the best value before pulling the trigger on one.
There are a few brands that have been punching above their price points. For Rolex Submariner homages, you can't really beat Sugess. Other Chinese brands worth considering are San Martin, Cronos, WM, and Seagull. Among the upcoming brands, Watchdives and Tactical Frog are also doing quite well. Though cheaper, Pagani Design is a step below the rest. It's not bad, but their watches are definitely not as polished as the ones from the brands mentioned above. In terms of movements, stick to NH35, NH34, PT5000, SW200, Miyota 90S5, etc. Try to buy from the official stores on Aliexpress, and check your private messages after you add the watches to your cart. They'll often issue coupon codes for said items.