Pagani Design YS025 (RollsTimi) Review: flashy skeleton look without blowing the budget

I’ve been wearing this Pagani Design YS025 (sold under the RollsTimi name) for a couple of weeks, basically as my daily watch. I used it for normal office days, a couple of nights out, and some weekend stuff like cooking, washing dishes, and a quick swim. I didn’t baby it. I wanted to see if it’s just a “looks good in pictures” watch or something you can actually wear without stressing out.

On paper, it sounds pretty loaded: sapphire crystal, 100 m water resistance, skeleton dial, open-heart "tourbillon-style" thing, stainless steel bracelet, automatic movement. The kind of spec list that usually costs way more than this. That’s also what made me suspicious. When a watch promises that much for this price, there’s usually a catch somewhere.

After some time with it, I can say it’s not a disaster at all, but it’s also not some hidden luxury piece. It sits in that middle area: pretty solid for the money, with some compromises that you notice once the initial "shiny new toy" effect wears off. If you expect Rolex quality because there’s sapphire and skeleton on the box, you’ll be disappointed. If you go in thinking "decent budget mechanical that looks fancy", you’re closer to reality.

So in this review I’ll go through what actually matters in day-to-day use: how it looks on the wrist, how it feels, how accurate it is, how the bracelet behaves, and if the 100 m water resistance seems trustworthy. I’ll also be straight about the stuff that annoyed me, because there are a couple of things that bugged me pretty quickly.

In terms of value for money, this watch sits in a pretty good spot if you specifically want a skeleton/open-heart mechanical with a flashy look. You’re getting sapphire crystal, 100 m water resistance, a Japanese automatic movement, and a full steel bracelet for a price that’s way below big-name brands. Compared to fashion watches in the same price range that use mineral glass and cheap quartz movements, this is a step up on the technical side.

Where you feel the price is in the details: finishing that’s just okay, a bracelet that’s decent but a bit rattly, lume that’s nothing special, and a design that screams “look at me”. If you don’t care about the skeleton dial and blingy bezel, there are other options from brands like Casio, Seiko 5, or even other Pagani models that might give you a more practical watch with better legibility and a calmer design. So the value really depends on whether you want this specific look.

For someone who wants a first mechanical watch that looks expensive without actually being expensive, it’s pretty solid. You get the see-through dial, the visible movement, the open-heart showpiece – all the visual stuff that people associate with high-end watches. If you already have a small collection and you’re picky about finishing, you’ll probably see it as a fun, occasional wear piece rather than something serious.

Personally, I’d say: for the price, it’s good value if you go in with realistic expectations. It’s not luxury, it’s not perfect, but it delivers on the main promise: a loud, skeleton-style automatic that does the job and doesn’t feel like a toy. If you’re more into low-key, tooly watches, your money might be better spent elsewhere.

The design is clearly aimed at people who want something flashy on the wrist. The 42 mm case, skeleton dial, and gem-set style bezel give it a pretty loud presence. On my 17.5 cm wrist, it definitely stands out. It doesn’t disappear under a shirt cuff easily, and it’s not what I’d call discreet. If you want a watch that gets comments from coworkers or friends, this one does that. People notice it, mostly because of the open-heart/tourbillon-style part moving on the dial.

Important point: the “tourbillon-style” is exactly that – style. It’s not a real tourbillon, it’s just an open-heart showing part of the movement with a decorative cage. If you know watches, you’ll spot it instantly. If you don’t, you might think it’s some high-end complication. Personally, I don’t really care as long as it looks decent, but I know some people hate this kind of fake complication look. For me, it’s more of a visual toy than anything else.

The dial itself is pretty busy. You see gears, bridges, cutouts, and the gradient color. The hands are luminous and shaped well enough, but they can sometimes get lost in all the detail, especially in low light where the lume hasn’t kicked in fully. Reading the time quickly isn’t as easy as with a simple three-hand dial. In practice, I had a few moments where I had to stare for a second to figure out the exact minute, especially when I was in a hurry.

From a distance, the watch gives off that "luxury sports watch" vibe they’re obviously going for. The bezel with gem-set look makes it feel a bit blingy, which some will like and some will find too much. I’d say the design is more suited to nights out, casual outfits, or someone who likes jewelry-type watches. With a formal suit, it can work if you like bold stuff, but it’s not the quiet dress watch type at all.

On the wrist, the watch has some presence. At around 143 g, it’s not exactly lightweight, especially on the steel bracelet. If you’re used to small quartz watches or smartwatches, you’ll notice the weight right away. For me, after about a day, I got used to it, but the first few hours it definitely felt like I had “a lot of watch” on the wrist. The 42 mm case plus the bracelet width (around 24 mm) give it a chunky feel.

The bracelet sizing is important here. Out of the box, it was too big for my 17.5 cm wrist. After removing a couple of links, I got a decent fit, but there’s no real micro-adjustment like on better clasps. With the butterfly clasp, you’re stuck with link-by-link sizing. That means you might end up with it either slightly loose or slightly tight depending on your wrist. On a hot day when my wrist swelled a bit, it felt a little snug. Not painful, but noticeable.

The underside of the case is smooth, and the lugs curve enough that it sits okay on the wrist, not like a brick. I didn’t have any hot spots or parts digging into my skin. The bracelet edges are okay – not razor sharp, but not super soft either. After a full workday plus an evening out, I didn’t have red marks or irritation. So while it’s not the most comfortable watch I’ve worn, it’s perfectly fine for daily use if you’re okay with a heavier piece.

If you really hate weight on the wrist, you could swap the bracelet for a leather or rubber strap. That would probably improve comfort a lot and calm down the bling factor a bit. But then you kind of lose the full steel “luxury sports” look they’re going for. For me, I kept it on the bracelet and after a few days, the comfort was acceptable, just not super airy or forgotten-on-the-wrist light.

On paper, the materials look strong: stainless steel case and bracelet, sapphire crystal, 100 m water resistance, Japanese automatic movement. For this price bracket, sapphire is a real plus. I knocked the crystal lightly against a door handle and a metal table edge (not on purpose, just normal clumsiness), and there are no scratches so far. That’s one thing that definitely feels like an upgrade over mineral glass watches I’ve had, which picked up marks pretty fast.

The case finishing is acceptable. The brushing on the lugs and case sides is even enough, but if you really look closely, you see it’s not super fine. The polished parts pick up fingerprints quickly, as expected. I didn’t spot any sharp edges on the case itself, which is good. It doesn’t cut into the wrist or catch on clothes. The transparent case back is a nice touch if you like watching the movement, even if the finishing on the movement is quite basic – you see raw metal, nothing fancy.

The bracelet is also stainless steel with a butterfly clasp. The links feel a bit lighter and more rattly than higher-end bracelets, but not terrible. I’d call it "decent but nothing more". There’s some flexibility, and it doesn’t feel like it’s going to fall apart, but it doesn’t have that solid, tight feel you get on more expensive watches. The clasp closes fine and hasn’t popped open on me, but the action of it feels a bit cheap – more “clicky” than smooth.

Overall, the materials match the spec sheet: solid for the price but no miracle. Sapphire crystal is the highlight. The rest is standard mid-range Chinese watch quality. If you’re expecting super precise finishing like on a Swiss watch, you’ll be disappointed. If you just want something that looks and feels above basic fashion watches, this does the job.

The watch is rated to 100 m water resistance with a screw-down crown, which on paper is more than enough for daily life, showers (even though I avoid those with any watch), and swimming. I wore it while washing dishes, under light rain, and for a short swim in a pool (around 20–30 minutes, nothing deep or crazy). No condensation, no fogging under the crystal, no signs of water ingress. So at least for casual water contact, it handled things fine.

The sapphire crystal is doing its job. After a couple of weeks of normal wear, random bumps into desks and door frames, I don’t see any scratches on the glass. The case and bracelet, being polished and brushed steel, do show the usual hairline scratches pretty fast, especially on the clasp and polished bezel areas. That’s normal. If you’re picky about scratches, this watch will stress you out. If you accept that steel marks over time, it’s just part of the game.

The bracelet links and pins are holding up, no looseness or scary play so far. The butterfly clasp still snaps shut firmly and hasn’t opened accidentally. That said, the bracelet does feel like the first thing that might age badly if you wear it hard for years. There’s a bit of rattle and flex that suggests it’s not built like a tank. I wouldn’t use it for sports or activities where the wrist gets a lot of shocks.

Overall, I’d say durability is fine for normal daily use, office, casual outings, light swimming. I wouldn’t use it as a beater for construction work, mountain biking, or anything too rough. The watch looks more like a dressy sports piece than an actual tool watch, and that’s how I’d treat it. If you take reasonable care of it, it should last, but don’t expect it to handle years of abuse like a proper diver or G-Shock.

The watch uses a Japanese automatic movement (E3251 according to the listing, which is basically in the same family as common Seiko/NH-style movements). I tracked the accuracy over a week by comparing it daily to my phone. On my wrist, it was running around +10 to +15 seconds per day. That’s pretty much what I expect from a budget automatic. It’s not chronometer-level, but for normal use it’s fine. You’ll need to reset it every week or so if you want the time to stay tight.

The movement beats at 28,800 vph, so the seconds hand sweep looks reasonably smooth. Not as jerky as some cheaper 21,600 vph movements, but you can still tell it’s not ultra-high-end if you stare at it. Winding action via the crown feels okay, a bit rough but nothing alarming. The crown screws down, which is reassuring for water resistance, though the threads feel a little gritty compared to pricier watches. Still, it works, and I didn’t have cross-threading issues.

In terms of power reserve, I got roughly 38–40 hours off the wrist before it stopped, which is in line with a basic automatic. If you wear it daily, you’ll never think about it. If you leave it on the table for two days, you’ll probably have to reset the time. The open-heart “tourbillon-style” part spins away happily, and I didn’t notice any stuttering or weird behavior.

Legibility is where performance takes a bit of a hit. During the day, when the light is good, it’s okay, but not instant. At night, the lume is average. It charges up quickly under strong light and is visible when you first turn off the lights, but it fades to a weaker glow after a couple of hours. If you wake up in the middle of the night, you can still see the hands, but you need to focus a bit. So: mechanically, it performs as expected for the price; functionally, the busy dial makes it less practical than a simpler watch.

The watch comes in a pretty standard Pagani-style box: simple, cardboard, nothing fancy. Inside you get the watch on a cushion, a little booklet, and that’s about it. No extra straps, no tools, just the basics. For the price, I’m not shocked, but if you’re expecting a premium unboxing experience, it’s just not that. It’s more “AliExpress mid-range watch” than “jewelry store”.

First time I took it out of the box, the weight stood out. At around 143 g on bracelet, it feels solid in the hand, not hollow. I don’t think it feels cheap when you pick it up. The finishing on the case is decent: brushing is okay, the polished parts are shiny enough, and from arm’s length it looks like something that costs more than it actually does. Up close, you can see some rougher transitions between brushed and polished areas, but nothing shocking for this segment.

The skeleton dial is the main eye-catcher. When you open the box, your eye goes straight to the open-heart section and all the visible gears. If you like busy dials, you’ll be happy. If you prefer clean, minimalist designs, this is probably going to feel too much. The gradient gold-brown effect is there, but in real life it’s not as strong as in promo photos; it depends a lot on the light. Under bright light, it pops. Indoors, it just looks dark with some warm touches.

Overall, the first impression is: it looks more expensive than it is, but as soon as you start handling the bracelet, pushing the clasp, and looking closely at the finishing, you remember it’s still a budget mechanical. Not a bad thing, just something to keep in mind. The watch sells mainly on looks, not on a premium feel in the details.