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Why isn't there an 'obvious' Citizen model that 'everyone should look at' who wants a Citizen?

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14K views 57 replies 46 participants last post by  Verdict  
#1 · (Edited)
With Seiko I think you could wake up each and everyone on this forum in the middle of the night and they'll be able to give the short-list of Seiko watches that people should at least look at when in the market for a Seiko.

There will be minor variations, and some may first ask 'How much do you want to spend", but generally speaking it'd go something like "SKX00x or SRP Turtles, SARB-anything, Sumo, Monsters.

Or when pinning it further down to one or two then you'd end up with SKX007/9 and SARB033/35, as watches that you absolutely can't go wrong with and that anyone at least needs to consider before exploring further.

Why isn't there anything equally obvious made by Citizen, and then specifically the Eco Drive range? (Citizen mechanicals are so few that any listing of them would result in just listing them all.) Eco Drives are clearly where Citizen has its focus, so why aren't there a handful of 'must-have' models for someone looking for a solar quartz?

Or are there? What I so see on the forums are Nighthawk, Excalibur and Promaster Diver. Are these it? And if so, there's got to be something better you'd think?
 
#2 ·
The nighthawk is the obvious one as you say! So many details! But not sure what's out there in the more expensive category

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#5 ·
Well, I'm a diver's watch fan, so Ecozilla, Orca and NY0040 immediately come to mind.
 
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#6 ·
I think it's because there's not that many people specifically looking for solar quartz watches to begin with, thus it's rather hard for any Eco-Drive (or any solar watches for the matter) to reach the "iconic" status, if you may say so. As for myself, I always think that I must have at least one Eco-Drive in my collection. I have a Promaster and it's a really nice watch. Minimal maintenance, and always be there to tell you time.
 
#7 ·
Citizen has some quirky designs, and the Hawk series have busy faces that don't automatically lend themselves to widespread WUS fandom. I really like my Nighthawk, and the Ecozilla gets a lot of respect here. The BN0150 has quite a few enthusiastic supporters as well but I think the fundamental issue is the rather curious insistence on automatic movements by Watch Obsessives. Seiko has this covered with SKK, Monster, Turtle, Sumo, and MM300. Citizen makes some really great automatic movements too, but they tend to be at higher price ranges. The lower price ranges get the Eco-drive solar charging system and that, for some reason, is characterized as having no "soul" by some. Silly -- I know -- but it is how I see so many threads go.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Mediocre said:
This one. Affordable, light, durable, comfortable, eco drive, versatile.

View attachment 7602826
Click to expand...
Perfect!!

So let's all make an effort to relentlessly plug this one whenever someone starts a post like "I'm looking for a dressy but versatile watch for business and ... etc.".

No more SARB033 plugs, we'll do " BM6560-54H! " from now on in addition to SARB033. Plus it's half the price.

Quibbles though..: integrated bracelet.. 30 meter water resistance.. mineral crystal.. hrmpf..

Anything out there with regular lugs, slightly better WR, and sapphire? (the latter just a nice-to-have, but you can't sell a watch to WISs with non standard lugs. People want to put these things on leather, etc.)

If it was me I think I'd pick this one. Because it provides additional cool features that you don't get in a mechanical at the price point, plus it's as good a modern-flieger-look as you'll find anywhere. (Also comes in metal/silver dial, or blue, bracelet option, etc.) And 200m water resist, and titanium case. (No sapphire but it's South of $200 so that's fair.)

Image


Citizen Eco-Drive Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Men's Watch BL5250-02L - Eco-Drive - Citizen - Shop Watches by Brand - Jomashop

Or when spending a bit more, this is very nice. (Everything in their Signature line is, actually.)

Image

(BL1258-53L)
 
#14 ·
#20 ·
Domo said:
If I had to go out right now and buy a Citizen, it'd be this, because it's pretty and nice and not terribly expensive.

ĂŁĆ’-ĂŁĆ’.マスター PMD56-2951 ï¼»CITIZEN-ã‚·ãƒ�ズン腕時計］

View attachment 7605578

But saying "Yeh, go buy a PMD56-2951" doesn't quite have the same ring as "Go buy a SARB" :)
Click to expand...
Or its sibling, this one:
 

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#15 ·
I think there are several "must get" Citizen watches. Such as:

Nighthawk
Navihawk
Skyhawk
Eco and AutoZilla
Promaster Diver
NY0040

But I think Citizen suffers from a lack of easy to remember model numbers. For instance Seiko SKX007 or Seiko 007 seems to roll off the tongue and is easy to remember. However as most Citizen watches use a long model number(like BL0987873-093M or something) it is not as easy to remember.
 
K
#16 · (Edited)
Among watch enthusiasts (at least outside of Japan) Citizen isn't perceived to have as many 'iconic'/obvious lines and models as Seiko for the following reasons: a) they make fewer mechanical watches, b) they don't appear to emphasise/categorise their lines as much and c) they don't make as many diver watches.

For instance, if you look at Citizen's US website they have one big category under 'Eco-Drive', another under 'The Signature Collection' and the final under 'Drive from Citizen'. If you take a look at the Seiko website you will see a much more focused categorisation of their watches. What this shows is that both companies have taken very different approaches in marketing their watches. Citizen is all about Eco-Drive and their emphasis on this has probably made them more successful among the general public in recent times. Seiko's approach works well for watch enthusiasts but they do not have a USP like Eco-Drive that the general public will connect with.

On the other hand, if you look at Citizen's Japanese website you will see that they have a much more focused categorisation like Seiko.
 
#19 ·
I find Citizen watches generally fall into one of two design camps: extremely pedestrian or avant-garde. There is a narrow band of watches that are quirky enough to catch my interest but without getting into crazy details I would eventually tire of. This probably suits them well, and is likely why they are so popular with the general public. Seiko has similar design choices (e.g. I can't find a single Kinetic model that I like aesthetically) but I find their "Goldilocks Zone" to have more breadth and depth than Citizen.
 
#22 ·
I feel citizen has the same issues as Seiko regarding product availability and brand perception (all the good models are JDM, mall/department store watch perception in North America). Citizen also seems to lack the same level of brand history/nostalgia that Seiko and some of the major Swiss brands have when it comes to design, technological innovation, and historical use. For me, it's largely an issue of a lack of availability and being unaware of what they have to offer, and what I do like seems to always be discontinued (PMX56 diver, Attesa Jet setter in Titanium)
 
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#23 · (Edited)
I would say there are, citizens just don't seem as popular on the forums here as Seikos. The citizens seem more popular in the japanese market itself and don't have flashy nicknames or easy to remember model numbers.

As you mentioned the must-have seiko's I'd say Citizen has equivalents:

SKX009 equivalent would be NY0040
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Sarb017 alpinist tool watch equivalent of sorts would be a promaster field watch (more like the titanium gmt alpinist I suppose)
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Sarb033 equivalent
BM6930-57E:
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Monster equivalent would be the ecozilla/autozilla
Image


And Grand Seiko equivalent would be something like
​
NA0000-59
Image

Image


or the Grand Touring
Image
 
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#24 · (Edited)
Well you seem to have covered most of the bases especially mcnabbanov but I cant pass up this opportunity to post some of my Citizens (yet again).

In terms of Mechanicals I have championed this for the last few of years, the NP4020-51A
Under ÂŁ150 - sapphire crystal, textured dial, hand winding but no hacking.


I dont think its been mentioned yet but the BM6400-00e is quite an iconic Citizen

To me its a modern take on a flieger..great lume too.

and very comfortable on the wrist its ergonomic innit

The BM8180-03E is worth a look too - so much watch for so little money.

of course the NY0040-09ee which is a worthy alternative to the SKX007/9



and finally one of my favourites (apart from a rough crown) the Excalibur
 
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#29 ·
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#26 ·
I think it might be cheating by including Grand Classics as a representative for all Citizen watches.
I absolutely love the Grand classic models, however they are very different quality wise to a normal Citizen.
It would be like comparing a Grand Seiko to every Seiko in a department store.
When I think of Citizen, I think of Eco-Drive movements with lots of useful complications.
A great example of this would be the Citizen AT4010-50E with Titanium.
The stainless steel model is also just as great looking too!
 
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#28 ·
One of my other favs is the Blue Angels World Chronograph A-T (AT8020-03L). I like the aircraft inspired design. There are lots of other models with the H800 movement. One thing I like about this movement is that it uses the big second hand for both running seconds and chronograph seconds. Because of this the running seconds don't get covered up by other hands, although you can't read running seconds and chrono seconds at the same time.
 

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