Citizen Watches – Are they still good in 2023?

Introduction

Citizen watches is a well-known brand for making fine timepieces. They started in 1930 and have always focused on the needs of all kinds of people.

The Citizen Watch Company is a well-known name in the watch industry. Especially for watches that are well put together, dependable, with a fair price. However, their historic history, notable firsts, and technical skill are less well-known. Here are five interesting facts about Citizen Watch Company that you may not be aware of.

1. Citizen began business in 1918, making the brand 100 years old

2. Everything is made in-house

Citizen is one of the world’s most vertically integrated companies. All of the components are made in-house in Japan.

3. In the late 1970s, their automated assembly line was the “Swiss Industry killer”

One of their automated production lines, which started mass producing quartz movements in the late 1970s, is still in operation today.

4. Meisters and Super Meisters hand-assemble high-end Citizen timepieces

To be a Super Meister, a watchmaker must have worked with Citizen for at least 30 years. Most start out at the Citizen Watch School and work their way up through the ranks of Specialists and Meisters before becoming Super Meisters.

5. They focus on light-powered, ultra-thin, and highly accurate timepieces.

Collections

Their signature collections are the Promaster, Signature, Dive and Eco-Drive. The Eco-Drive contain Citizen’s in-house technical development which uses solar power to charge the quartz battery. 

The Signature offerings incorporate meticulous detail and an array of features.

The Dive collection offers plenty of features in a modest design. 

Finally, a Promaster, as the name hints, are high-quality timepieces aimed at serious sporting professionals.

Regardless of which collection you opt for, you’ll find accuracy baked into every timepiece. Let’s have a look at 10 of the best Citizen watches on offer in 2023.

Blue Angels

The AT8020-03L Blue Angels is a brushed stainless steel case and matching link bracelet. It’s 42mm by 12mm. It comes in yellow with navy features and is characteristic of aeronautical devices. 

This timepiece is about precision and accuracy. It has automatic timekeeping that syncs with atomic clocks. Meaning the radio-controlled chronograph and world timer is able to give you atomic-clock-level-accuracy time spanning in 26 cities across the globe. And this also stays accurate, forever. It keeps going thanks to Japanese quartz movement.

Also, a 1/20 second chronograph up to 60 minutes, perpetual calendar, 12/24 hour time, power reserve, and H800 calibre.

The cool blue leather strap houses a stainless steel case with blue ion plating and non-reflective sapphire crystal under which is a date window at the 3 position. Inside it features Eco-Drive technology, which receives it’s power from any light source. There is no need for a battery. Finally, it’s water-resistant to 200m.

Eco-Drive Nighthawk

If you’re into all-black watches, you’ll love the design here.

A 42mm case, with a bracelet in black stainless steel with fold-over clasp
Mineral glass window protection and water resistance of up to 100m.

The Citizen Nighthawk Watch is a black ion-plated stainless steel watch with a 1/5-second chronograph that records up to 60 minutes. Additionally, it has a tachymeter, a screw-back case, and a safety fold-over clasp with a push-button for added security. The chronograph second hand is only utilised when the chronograph mode is on, and it does not perform the same functions as a standard second hand. On the subdial at 6 o’clock, the seconds are counted down in seconds per minute.

Quartz Chronograph with Leather Strap

The case diameter of this Citizen Chrono men’s chronograph is 44 mm. The case is made of of silver stainless steel, with a supple and vintage-looking brown leather band. The bracelet is secured with a pin buckle and has a 100mwater-resistant rating. You will never have to replace the battery again owing to the quartz movement with Eco-Drive solar technology.

Eco-Drive Stainless Steel

This has a 44mm case in stainless steel. The face is black and has luminous second, minute and hour hands, of which the second is red. It’s got mineral crystal which is scratch-resistant. Inside, a Japanese quazrtz movement.

The design blends in with most outfits. It’s office-worthy but would also fit in with jeans and a t-shirt. No worries about showers, rain and general splashes as it’s water-resistant to 100m.

Satellite Wave

The design of this watch, known also by the serial number, CC3000-89L is thickset at 43.5mm. It’ll stand out, but anyone with a smaller wrist should be careful (you can read about what watches to wear on a smaller wrist here).

The strap is reasonably thin at 12.7mm. It’s quite lightweight, but that makes it comfortable.

The face is black and protected by hardened mineral crystal. The seconds are shown in large numbers every ten seconds. 

It’s water-resistant to 200m and technically classified as a dive watch so feel free to dive in with peace of mind. 

The band is made of polyurethane, a popular material for sports devices.

Titanium Eco-Drive

This is a classic look from Citizen. It’s not as classy as the automatic, granted, but that isn’t to say it’s not stylish. It’s for those who like simple and understated. It has a soft pig leather wristband which comes in tan with white stitching.

There is a tachymeter on the inner circle and it measures how much time taken to get from point 1 to point 2. There’s a chronograph offering a stopwatch feature. 

Inside is Japanese quartz, famous for its accuracy.

Titanium Chrono AT

Here we see a titanium bracelet. It makes this watch resistant to corrosion and is generally very durable. You’re safe to take it in seawater and not worry about rusting. 

Titanium is strong but equally lightweight so it doesn’t sit too heavy on the wrist. 

It’s also water-resistant to 200m so it’s fine to take fishing, snorkelling or light diving. 

It has three chrono sub-dials which show a calendar with both the day and week. It has a tachymeter, too.

Promaster Mechanical Dive Watch

Excellent quality Black rubber strap with a buckle, 21 cm long and 22 mm wide. The case diameter is 41 mm, the thickness is 12 mm, the case is silver, and the dial is famously Pepsi-looking with the red and blue design.

The silicone watch band is pleasant to wear and will take you to the cutting edge of athletic fashion. It’s ideal for both indoor and outdoor use as it offers 200mwater resistance.

A calendar function is included in the watch: day-date, luminous hands, and luminous numerals.

Promaster Eco-Drive

This dive watch gets its power from Citizen’s own crafted solar technology. Precision and accuracy are paramount. Inside is Japanese quartz movement so you know you can rely on this watch. 

There are luminous hour markings on the 43mm dial, which make readability really easy. 

Again we see a polyurethane wristband, which won’t snap or decay easily at all.

The Promaster converts any light, natural or artificial, into energy. That energy goes into a power cell that will charge indefinitely. The watch recharges constantly in any light, allowing it to operate indefinitely with no battery replacements needed.

More, the Promaster is a tactical watch water resistant to a depth of 200 metres. In general, it is appropriate for wearing in the shower, professional marine activities such as swimming and snorkelling, surface water sports, and scuba diving.

This Citizen stainless steel ISO-compliant water-resistant diving watch has a one-way rotating elapsed-time bezel, an adjustable buckle clasp band, a bright three-hand display with quartz movement, and a date display window.

Anti-reflective mineral crystal on the face. Most Citizen men’s watches come with mineral crystal dial windows. In fact, they are the pinnacle of robust and wearing design. The anti-reflective mineral crystal, which protects the day-date indication and bright hands, provides for a clear time display.

Analogue Quartz Watch with Plastic Strap

This Citizen is the epitome of a classic Citizen. And the revamped Citizen Sport watch is exactly that, with distinctive characteristics that will stick out on your wrist.

This big 44mm watch isn’t bulky, thanks to the black titanium case. More, it has a bold blue dial with luminous silver hands and dot makers, a one-way rotating bezel, and mineral glass covering the face. It only offers basic functions: hours, minutes, seconds, and date and year. But are you mad about that? Probably not, look at it!

Citizen Quartz Watches – Are they worth it?

The quartz offerings from Citizen covered here have their own pros and cons, like any other watch. 

They are famously low-maintenance. They also run very quietly. Third in line is praise for Citizen’s solar technology, which means no need to replace the battery. The only real consistent downside noted by wearers is that it does slow a little in low-lit conditions.

The case material makes a huge difference in the wearing experience. The titanium options versus the stainless steel see the former winning every time. This is because, for a dive watch, you want something that won’t corrode due to exposure to salt or chlorine. 

All in all, a Citizen watch is great value for money when you consider the features and materials you get for the price you pay.

Summary

If you’re wondering whether or not you want to buy a Citizen watch, hopefully, this gave you some direction. Always remember before shopping that you need to know what features you want and expect. Will you put it through its paces in wet conditions? Is it your everyday office watch? Is it a formal watch?

You shouldn’t let price sway your decision too much (beyond your budget). However check out our article on affordable watches for men that look expensive, if you’re just looking for something flashy.

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Last Updated on December 12, 2022