I’ve been a scuba diver since my 20s. Citizen has always been respected as making one of the best dive watches around. They aren’t really for desk divers. This is a true tool watch. Great review.
I worked in a jewelry store for a few years and developed a pretty good interest in watches, I became the go to watch guy. Our primary brands were Seiko and Citizen, I became a fam of Citizen, I believe they are a very good watch and have owned at least one or more in the 30 years since then. I was lucky enough that Citizen flew me to San Diego as their guest for the America's Cup races, they are a major sponsor of America's Cup. They gave us quite a bunch of SWAG, the only disappointment was they didn't give us one of the special America's Cup watches they made, they likely spent more than the cost of the watch on the other stuff they gave us. I think that was in 1992.
@@LuisGonzalez-gl4wc Amazon had a 'Deal of the Day' in Summer, 2019 where the blue-dialed variety was on sale for $91. I was hoping to pick up the black-dialed variety, but at that price I couldn't pass it up. Looking at the watch's price history, Taylor might have gotten his in June, 2020 when it was selling at about it lowest ($130, plus an additional discount) -- if he got it on Amazon. Unfortunately, it might be a while for you to stumble upon a similar deal as it is now selling at it's highest price -- $250 (!). Very nice watch, but for that price I'd also consider other options.
I have the older version of this watch that is coming up on 18 years old and still running like a champ! Looks great and is very accurate! Mine came with a metal bracelet and it too has held up extremely well. Can't say enough good things about this piece, especially for the money. By the way the lume is still very bright. Thanks for the review of one of my favourite Eco Drive watches! Cheers.
It was still on the original and working OK , but I decided to replace the battery last month anyway. It was very easy to do the swap,took about 5 minutes. Cheers MikeR.@@fredatlas4396
These are very solid watches with great lume and if you don't mind it being quartz it's a really solid buy. I got mine for 175 used on a bracelet and it's currently my favorite watch.
I'd rather put My life on Quartz. I have an expensive Seiko diver. It's a kinetic and it's power module needs swapping and I am going to change the bezel to a 12 hour one as I don't dive but have friends in the USA and Australia and everywhere in between
Great review!! I had been looking at one of these for a while, and when I got a flash sale offer for $138 US about 6 months ago, I had no choice but to buy this one. I got the blue version and really like it!! The fact that it came with the very unique dive tank for a watch case just put icing on the cake. This is the only watch that I still keep in the case that it came with, just because it is so unique. I'm not bogged down by self-imposed restrictions such as: "I will only own an automatic", or I will only own a quartz, or I will only own a Seiko"......well it can go on and on..... I'm happy to admit that I am a watch addict and have no such restrictions....other than my bank account :) With all of the great things this inexpensive watch has to offer......it is definitely a must have for any true watch addict's collection. Thanks for sharing!!!!
This watch has been my favorite grail watch since i was 11yrs old i been stuck with a casio that i got as a present since 18 for graduation i live in a 3rd world country so $165 is almost half my check one ay though one day
Just got this watch and it already has sentimental value, because it's the first watch that I bought with my own money (finished uni and started work a year ago). I didn't really pay attention to Citizen until I saw this model. It's way more robust and qualitative than what I thought. Bonus points for the hefty weight, considering it's a quartz.
It's ISO rated for electromagnetism. Should last you 25 years. Waterproof to over 600 feet. You can trust your life to this watch. The fact that it's quartz? Of little consequence if any.
Citizen is the Toyota of the watchworld and I mean that as a compliment. My first watch I got when I first got into this hobby was the CITIZEN ECO-DRIVE CHRONOGRAPH BLUE DIAL CA0331, and I still love it to this day. I prefer quartz chronographs and the small seconds on that watch is as much quartz "ticking" as I can handle. I love it and will never get rid of it.
This was one of my first "real" watches when I started collecting, and it is still one of my favorites! A couple years after I bought it I purchased an SKX, and I was frankly disappointed. Fit, finish, lume (that lume!!), and overall feeling of quality is far better on the Citizen when they're put side by side. Love my Seiko too, but the Citizen gets far more wrist time (and I wear it in the ocean several times a week). Cheers, Jody, you always make me smile, sir!
So true. For years I disregarded Citizen watches, seeing them as a bit boring and plain. Once I actually purchased the Promaster out of curiosity I realized how wrong I was all those years. I love Seiko, don't get me wrong, but what Citizen does for half the price is really hard to beat. There is something about this brand that exudes quality and reliability. Just can't go wrong with it.
I discovered the same thing at a store today. I did like the Seiko SNE573 quite a lot, but not it's price! The Citizen's bezel felt better than all the Seikos I tried.
Finally a proper Citizen on You Tube. Thanks Jody, this is my fav Citizen that I also have in my collection. People keep forgetting that great Japanese watch company with excellent Eco Drive system. Proper dive watch for apocalypse. A bit of sun or any type of light, and it lasts 6 months without charging. It can go deep underwater, it is rugged and reliable.
I'm an ecodrive fan. TBH they make more practical, good VFM day to day watches than just about any automatic. My default watch for the office is a 20ish year old basic WR100, it's a bit worn and scuffed, gets a tarty strap every so often, just keeps going and is smart enough for work without being too flashy... Maybe look at an ecodrive chrono in the next jomashop batch? I know they're generally quite popular I see them on a lot of other people's wrists.
No one makes quartz watches as good as Citizen. The Citizen Chandler non chrono gets almost as much love as my Khaki auto. Also eco drives seem to always hit the marker just right for a quartz.
2021 New Years resolution video.. Jody learns how to swim and scuba dive.. I can see it now “Hellooooo and welcome from the bottom of Sydney harbours here we have a..” etc etc
Nice change of pace ftom the endless Chinese micro brand/ fake garbage. Good effort Jody. A great reliable, well made, reasonably priced functional watch perfectly filmed I can even forgive you this being a, "sponsored", review. Stay healthy.
Jody, saying Citizen is "vanilla" or the little cousin is seriously understating the brand. It's one of the best out there with rather long history and not to mention that it's an actual movement maker.... Silly to say such a thing ....
@@JustOneMoreWatch Maybe not exciting, but cmon Seiko is guilty to the same extent of that. Their lines are full of unremarkable pieces. I want to add that this watch in the review is great indeed. If you're looking for a bargain to review in the future, take a look at Pi Ratio watches (seen them in creationwatches).
But I think that's the beauty of watches and watch collecting. I can sit here and say that Seiko is like the "red headed step child" (no offense to anyone) of watches (which I know they are not, but follow along) and I know I would have more than just a few comments telling me how "bad" of a comment that is... and I would be ok with that, because that is what I think. I, too, believe Citizen is a good, reliable brand that is more or less under appreciated, but many people think other wise. Nothing wrong with that. Im not going to lie though, the "vanilla" comment and the "little cousin thats not that interesting" was pretty dag-on funny. The review though was pretty spot on though. Blessings to all of you gents. Stay safe.
Jamie you hit the nail on the head with this one! This is my go to dive watch It actually checks all the boxes a scuba diver would want or need. Could do without the air tank but that’s really my only pinch. Finished excellent and most of all not a knock off of any other diver! I can’t tell you how many videos I’ve seen that explain the use of the bezel incorrectly, even folks that claim to dive have described it incorrectly. The strap is crap but hey I typically swap them out anyway. Stay safe and well in the land down under!
My favorite watch of all time. I have the blue one, and have taken it diving many times. It’s very hard to argue against a watch that just works. I have an SKX as well, and while it is a fantastic piece of industrial design, it’s also +40 seconds a day... Great channel by the way!
It's never too late to learn to swim, Jody. I really encourage you to take the time. As well as making you safer around water, being able to swim means you could potentially help out if you saw someone in trouble. And swimming is a lot of fun and it's a no-impact exercise.
i love the eco drive movement; truly set and forget! my favorite is the brycen chronograph, which i have in blue. much like this one, it fits its purpose as a tool perfectly and also just looks great
After acquiring and flipping a number of divers over the past couple of years, this will remain in my collection permanently - especially after picking it up for $183 AUD from an AD on an eBay sale in 2018. Much more convenient to slap it on wrist for weekend wear and not have to wind and set the time than any auto I've had. Looks and feels substantially more expensive than it is with the Citizen 59-S06105 bracelet - definitely better than any mid-range Prospex Seiko diver bracelet I've experienced.
I still use my dad's citizen watch as my daily driver which is 37 years old and serviced only once (5 years back)....they surely are robust Loved the review ❤️ Love from India.
I bought one of these, doubtless influenced by JOMW. A green one, on a bracelet. Everything lines up, it's accurate and it feels entirely like a quality object. I underestimated Citizen.
Citizen has really redefined the affordable analog quartz watch market. Their quartz are really good; I love how the seconds hand hits the markers on point. I have an eco drive model which is very aqua terra-ish which I have had for over 6 years and its amazing.
The ECO Drive tech is excellent. I've had a couple for over 10 years now and they run and run and run. The cells in Citizen's ECO Drive are rated to remain 80% effective after 20 years. Can't argue with that. This past Christmas I picked up their Brycen racing style chrono with the black dial. Excellent watch with chrono registers that can actually be read.
I have owned this watch for about 5/6 years or so. I really took a while to appreciate it and this was before I started my collection of watches. Since then I have collected about 10-12 watches and this one has stayed in my collection. I have found that I appreciate it more the longer I have it and have no intention of selling it. I don't dive, but it has been in the ocean and swimming pools many many time. Love it.
Jody, I really like the solar movement of citizen for sure a great idea for a diver, but I want suggest you to try an automatic driver from Citizen, the NY0040, I bought it and it is still my favorite.
I got this watch on a bracelet some months ago, and I really love it. The micro adjustment/diver suit adjustment is great. I find it very comfortable, and it wears great for it's size. I don't mind it being quartz, and find it's being solar powered great. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a nice diver watch without having to spend all that much. I also think it is worh spending a bit more to get the bracelet.
Love this watch, simple, reliable and amazing, all you really need in a watch. It even pushes me towards the idea that Eco-drive watches might be an overall better option than automatics, which I never thought would happen. :D
After collecting automatic and quartz watches since the early 90’s I have come to the same conclusion ! No service costs, no battery replacements , no insurance costs ; and everything you really need for a great price !
Eco-drive is a far superior than automatics movements. I believe people who disagree with that have fallen for the marketing strategies of companies. Kind of like how people have been tricked to believe diamonds are valuable because we fall fell for the marketing of The Beers Group’s “Diamonds are Forever” campaign.
@@seanr6865 I’m going to take the plunge (excuse the pun) and get one of these watches, as much as I have a fascination about automatic watches they are far from being the most accurate and I think it’s time for me to have a change.
@@jasonclarke7422 I start with automatics, then to manual wind. no fancy watches just seiko 5, then turn to casio. now? Only 3 mechanical watches are left in the box. if you're into time keeping, you'll embrace quartz happily. they just better. now daily I wear between casio lineage tough solar or Reguno (Citizen) solar tech.
You should certainly keep going in the ProMaster series. I have a Skyhawk that is one of the most useful watches that I have. Having a UTC dial as an IT guy is great, since many devices run that anyway. The two alarms, chrono, and countdown timer are a nice touch as well. With radio controlled time and an eco-drive movement, you never have to fuss with it at all.
First watch I ever bought after getting a JOB was a citizen ecodrive titatium 20 years ago, still runs like a champ. How about you review a Citizen Promaster Tough, looks like a great field watch: bracelet + sapphire crystal + ecodrive + harden stainless steel surface.
I have one right now, whenever i going outdoors, i will wear it. Best value you can get for a diver. 200m divers certified suitable case size nice 60 sturdy click bezel Nice curves and smooth shape Very nice lume. Design is very prominent and practical.
I own this in blue and it's such a good everyday watch. I did get a blue barton silicone elite band for it and the color matches dead on. I think my favorite part about this watch is how great the lume is. I did snag it a few years ago when the prices were a little cheaper but even at $165 it's a good deal.
hi Jody, thanks for this fantastic review. Yes. that watch is absolute winner for the price. You just can not go wrong with this watch, specially at $165.00. thanks for the review, Jody.
Mine just got delivered this morning. Enjoying it. I'm liking the simplicity of purpose, and how robust it is. The strap is not ideal, but this price point, it's ok.
Do you dive with it? The strap goes right around a wetsuit, or sinches down around my bare writs. Perfect tool watch. Except for the silly print on the outside. No one uses that. We use dive tables or a computer.
Picked up the blue one for Christmas. Had to send it back for warranty. The kept bezel jamming. Got it back in two weeks. All in all I’ve been very happy with it.
I much prefer Citizen watches over Seiko. I’ve owned both and I always sell my Seikos. Never my Citizens. Jody, check out the Citizen Avion flieger style pilots watch. It has a large case size at 44mm but a solid movement and just a great every day watch! Great video btw. Def adding this one to my collection 👍
I've got several citizens. They're great. The automatic version of this watch (w. day-date) is phenomenal, too. I have an ecozilla and an orca (I like the larger models) and they're all cherished parts of the rotation.
I have this model in both blue and black and absolutely love them. While everyone is enamored with automatics and I have too many automatic divers to mention, these two are my go to daily wears. They are absolutely superior to both the Citizen NY004 and Seiko SKX models from my perspective. The bezel is better than both of the others (I have all three) and I never wear the either of my SKX models or my NY004. These two promasters are in my regular rotation with a variety of other watches, but the blue version gets more wrist time than any other watch I own. If you can set aside the automatic and mineral glass requirements you will absolutely love this watch. Amazing beater/daily watch that looks and wears great
Jody, here's a couple of Citizens at Jomashop that caught my eye: Chandler blue dial chrono, green dial CTO dress watch, and silver case Promaster Nighthawk GMT. All well under $500. Cheers. PS that SCUBA tank packaging is a bit cheesy. Maybe skip it and give us a better band. PPS Come to think of it, on paper the 3 watches that I mention make a solid 3 watch collection for well under a grand.
Hi Jody, i do have a suggestion, it is the Citizen NY00. Its the "SKX" from Citizen, it has military provenance, and since i got one i fell in love with it.
Thanks for the review, Jody! I've worn so many divers and this is my favorite ... I keep coming back to it. So comfortable on a better strap, rugged, and very accurate. It's a beater that gets more wrist time than my SKX because it wears so well.
I still think the Casio Duro is a winner, could do with a bit more lume but otherwise a great contender. I have the new gold edition and will be buying the new blue version shortly.
Lol since when? No disrespect to Citizen but Seiko have better quality control. Citizen got some bad qc on their lower priced watches but their promaster is definitely a winner.
@@skyisdlimit6125 I believe Seiko is infamous for its poor QC when installing misaligned chapter rings and bezel inserts. Watch the JOMW video titled "FINALLY! The Seiko We Don't Have To Mod! King Turtle" And you'll see that their quality control on a $400+ watch is atrocious.
I say, the seiko and citizen goes equally good on quality. I have seiko chrono quartz from 2004 and still ticking, and gave my mom a citizen ecodrive and still ticking since 2006.
@@RM-el3gw I've had 2 dozen Seikos, had one with a misaligned chapter ring and one with a misaligned bezel, both easily fixed. The whole issue is way overblown by hysterical people.
Very good review of the Citizen Eco-Drive Automatic Dive watch. I just recently picked up the Citizen Godzilla S.P. Singular Point Promaster Limited Edition Automatic NY0080-21Z dive watch and could not be happier. Limited to 500 pieces worldwide, the 8204 automatic Citizen movement is excellent, and the red dial is literally on fire. The dial also features a very subtle image of Godzilla's dorsal spine and the case back features an etched image of Godzilla's head. Such a fun and special dive watch. This has now become my most favorite dive watch in my collection. Thank you for a very nice Citizen Promaster watch review!
I have one of those, the blue one with the sunburst dail. Too bad its totally forgotten in the shadows of the skx. Better looking, better movement ( thats what i think anyways) And also issued to the italian frogmen!
@@johanjonsson3481 I also have a blue NY0040. I don't agree that it is a better watch than the SKX though, design wise at least. I think that the SKX is one of the best looking divers no matter the price level.
Orient Triton. You had mentioned in your best under $400 that you would get around to this one. It is a bit big, but it fits so well, and has a great movement. Love to see you review it!
"Vanilla brand !" Love it ! But seriously, if I compare the above Citizen that cost me 200 quid with my "prestigious" 300 m Hamilton automatic diver chronograph with Valjoux movement that cost me seven times as much and which leaked in sea water the first time I took it swimming one metre under the baby waves at the beach and had to be sent away to Switzerland for repairs which took six weeks I would be quite happy to call Citizen a "vanilla brand." But that now begs the question of what should I call my Hamilton "alleged" 300 meters water resistant ? I know, I got it: "SHIT brand."
Waiting for this review. The best watch I have ever owned. For the price and build quality, nothing Seiko manufactures now can compete. Perfectly aligned chapter ring and bezel. Great on a nato or stainless band and a terrific beater. Check out the classic BM6400. Amazing! Kieran
Thnx for the review !! Another great point on buying a new Citizen watch is their incredible 5 year warranty which most new watches in this price range do not have!
I have the blue version for over a year now, i wear it a ton, went diving with it, cliff diving as well (the nato strap saved the watch, because 1 spring bar fell out). I regularly bang my watches, most of them have several scratches, this one honestly looks as new, the only tell of it being worn a lot is a couple of little dots in the aluminium bezel. This is probably the most legible watches I've seen, you can tell the time from any angle under any light pretty much. The loom is amazing, not just the fact that it lasts long, but how strong it is. Sometimes I just walk into the shade in the summer and those beautiful blue hands and circles light up, it's still a pleasure to look at after more than a year. Also I think the Eco-Drive is the most practical movement for a dive-watch, without question. It means the watch can run for pretty much forever, and you don't have to take off the back to service it, and maybe compromising the integrity of it. I wear it on a blue/white nato, in my opinion looks amazing, and for swimming I'd for sure suggest it based on my experience mentioned before. I have a 6 1/4 inch wrist (ladywrist gang), and it's perfect imo, maybe on the edge of being too big. The bezel has absolutely 0 backplay and everything is perfectly aligned. I set the time/date on first March, and as of now it's one second behind. No I'm not payed by citizen
I have the blue dialed version and think that you're spot on with this one. Like all of the Eco-Drive watches in my collection it is freakishly accurate, far more than the specs in my experience. And it looks great on a NATO strap as well if you're a fan of them. A certain other major brand should wake up and take notice! Thanks mate! P. S. I remember the group Veruca Salt from back in the day but still had to look up the reference...ewww!
Couldn’t agree more. It’s my backup to a dive computer when I get the occasion to take a dive. I bought the stainless bracelet for it with the quick adjust, cost as much as the watch did....still worth it.
Jody, I am so glad you reviewed this watch. I have the black & blue one. I agree the factory band is pretty bad, I swapped out both of mine for different straps. Super accurate and I put mine in the window sill every 2 weeks for a day. Super value and I have been so happy with these watches.
What a coincidence, ordered the new Diver BNO167-50H Grey dial version from Jomashop yesterday on a Labor Day sale...$234. Have several EcoDrives, this one jumped out at me. Much appreciation to you for the quality videos you produce, as there is a great deal of valuable information contained therein. D Neely El Paso, Texas
Hey Jody, I just picked up a Citizen ap1050-56a as a dress piece this week. I found one on eBay for an absolute song at $129. Sapphire crystal, day, date, month, and Moon phase complications. Very, very handsome on a butterfly clasp bracelet.
I have citizen promaster automatic from late 90s. The lume is slightly radioactive(only detectable when out of case). I think that is why they put do not open warning on the back. Thin piece of paper placed between the hands and the tube blocks all of the emissions so it is nothing to worry about in normal operation of the watch
I got the Blue Promaster Eco-drive about five years back from an authorized dealer for $119. This size is not too big and not too small. The nice blue Citizen lume lasts all night. Finally, the watch runs +1 sec...per month...for real. I did discard the Citizen dive band and now wear it on an Uncle Seiko waffle strap. I've got two of those straps - one black and one blue. The blue on the watch is dark so on a black strap it looks darker and on the blue strap it looks more blue - true versatility. This is the best watch I've ever owned.
Jody, I also can't swim (same reasons) but use a floatation device every time we go into the water... we do a lot of snorkling, and I'm safe and confident... give it a try, you'll be surprised. The whole family use them now, and our snorkling gear is essential for all beach holidays
When you think about it if you can't swim you are automatically a great diver.
Banjalukajemojgrad. Sinker....at least he will know the time
Lol you're great, until you need to come back up.
I muff dive! 😂
@@PINKFL0YD-s2h Ya but if you can't swim you don't even need a watch because you can't come back up when it's time.
Swim like a stone and dive like cork 😂
I’ve been a scuba diver since my 20s. Citizen has always been respected as making one of the best dive watches around. They aren’t really for desk divers. This is a true tool watch. Great review.
Desk divers. Love it. No, not for ladyboys.
@@Orcinus1967 shut
@@pradeep2662 Open?
Citizen and Casio make watches for people that actually use their watches.
@@Orcinus1967your
I've had my citizen promaster 200m coming up to 30 years and it's never missed a beat still wear it sometimes and it still looks great
Eco or Automatic?
👌 wow
I worked in a jewelry store for a few years and developed a pretty good interest in watches, I became the go to watch guy. Our primary brands were Seiko and Citizen, I became a fam of Citizen, I believe they are a very good watch and have owned at least one or more in the 30 years since then. I was lucky enough that Citizen flew me to San Diego as their guest for the America's Cup races, they are a major sponsor of America's Cup. They gave us quite a bunch of SWAG, the only disappointment was they didn't give us one of the special America's Cup watches they made, they likely spent more than the cost of the watch on the other stuff they gave us. I think that was in 1992.
I picked one of these up earlier this year for just $88 brand new and have been crushing on it ever since.
That is a damn good deal. Where did you get at that price?
@@LuisGonzalez-gl4wc Amazon had a 'Deal of the Day' in Summer, 2019 where the blue-dialed variety was on sale for $91. I was hoping to pick up the black-dialed variety, but at that price I couldn't pass it up. Looking at the watch's price history, Taylor might have gotten his in June, 2020 when it was selling at about it lowest ($130, plus an additional discount) -- if he got it on Amazon. Unfortunately, it might be a while for you to stumble upon a similar deal as it is now selling at it's highest price -- $250 (!). Very nice watch, but for that price I'd also consider other options.
@@LuisGonzalez-gl4wc it is on sale again. Amazon $119.99 11/16/2020 9:17pm eastern time😉
I got it brand new for $40, the joke is on you!... people always come with that BS of making others think that they hot a better deal, gtfoh
@@watchclubent.3956 I bet it's a fake from wish.
I have the older version of this watch that is coming up on 18 years old and still running like a champ! Looks great and is very accurate! Mine came with a metal bracelet and it too has held up extremely well. Can't say enough good things about this piece, especially for the money. By the way the lume is still very bright. Thanks for the review of one of my favourite Eco Drive watches! Cheers.
@miker5502
Have you had to replace the battery or is it still on the original
It was still on the original and working OK , but I decided to replace the battery last month anyway. It was very easy to do the swap,took about 5 minutes. Cheers MikeR.@@fredatlas4396
These are very solid watches with great lume and if you don't mind it being quartz it's a really solid buy. I got mine for 175 used on a bracelet and it's currently my favorite watch.
on 210 you can also have the auto one
I'd rather put My life on Quartz. I have an expensive Seiko diver. It's a kinetic and it's power module needs swapping and I am going to change the bezel to a 12 hour one as I don't dive but have friends in the USA and Australia and everywhere in between
Good watch. I have it in blue.
Great review!! I had been looking at one of these for a while, and when I got a flash sale offer for $138 US about 6 months ago, I had no choice but to buy this one. I got the blue version and really like it!! The fact that it came with the very unique dive tank for a watch case just put icing on the cake. This is the only watch that I still keep in the case that it came with, just because it is so unique. I'm not bogged down by self-imposed restrictions such as: "I will only own an automatic", or I will only own a quartz, or I will only own a Seiko"......well it can go on and on..... I'm happy to admit that I am a watch addict and have no such restrictions....other than my bank account :) With all of the great things this inexpensive watch has to offer......it is definitely a must have for any true watch addict's collection. Thanks for sharing!!!!
This watch has been my favorite grail watch since i was 11yrs old i been stuck with a casio that i got as a present since 18 for graduation i live in a 3rd world country so $165 is almost half my check one ay though one day
Steelers🖖🏼😁
Just save a little every pay cheque you'll get there faster then you think..I have this watch and love it..I wear it everyday..
Just got this watch and it already has sentimental value, because it's the first watch that I bought with my own money (finished uni and started work a year ago).
I didn't really pay attention to Citizen until I saw this model. It's way more robust and qualitative than what I thought. Bonus points for the hefty weight, considering it's a quartz.
It's ISO rated for electromagnetism. Should last you 25 years. Waterproof to over 600 feet. You can trust your life to this watch. The fact that it's quartz? Of little consequence if any.
Citizen is the Toyota of the watchworld and I mean that as a compliment. My first watch I got when I first got into this hobby was the CITIZEN ECO-DRIVE CHRONOGRAPH BLUE DIAL CA0331, and I still love it to this day. I prefer quartz chronographs and the small seconds on that watch is as much quartz "ticking" as I can handle. I love it and will never get rid of it.
This was one of my first "real" watches when I started collecting, and it is still one of my favorites! A couple years after I bought it I purchased an SKX, and I was frankly disappointed. Fit, finish, lume (that lume!!), and overall feeling of quality is far better on the Citizen when they're put side by side. Love my Seiko too, but the Citizen gets far more wrist time (and I wear it in the ocean several times a week). Cheers, Jody, you always make me smile, sir!
So true. For years I disregarded Citizen watches, seeing them as a bit boring and plain. Once I actually purchased the Promaster out of curiosity I realized how wrong I was all those years. I love Seiko, don't get me wrong, but what Citizen does for half the price is really hard to beat. There is something about this brand that exudes quality and reliability. Just can't go wrong with it.
I discovered the same thing at a store today. I did like the Seiko SNE573 quite a lot, but not it's price! The Citizen's bezel felt better than all the Seikos I tried.
Finally a proper Citizen on You Tube. Thanks Jody, this is my fav Citizen that I also have in my collection. People keep forgetting that great Japanese watch company with excellent Eco Drive system. Proper dive watch for apocalypse. A bit of sun or any type of light, and it lasts 6 months without charging. It can go deep underwater, it is rugged and reliable.
I Raca Try some of the titanium versions. Once you go titanium you will never go back
I'm an ecodrive fan. TBH they make more practical, good VFM day to day watches than just about any automatic. My default watch for the office is a 20ish year old basic WR100, it's a bit worn and scuffed, gets a tarty strap every so often, just keeps going and is smart enough for work without being too flashy...
Maybe look at an ecodrive chrono in the next jomashop batch? I know they're generally quite popular I see them on a lot of other people's wrists.
What’s VFM?
@@Mister_Phafanapolis 'Value for money'......... I think.
No one makes quartz watches as good as Citizen. The Citizen Chandler non chrono gets almost as much love as my Khaki auto. Also eco drives seem to always hit the marker just right for a quartz.
2021 New Years resolution video.. Jody learns how to swim and scuba dive.. I can see it now “Hellooooo and welcome from the bottom of Sydney harbours here we have a..” etc etc
Mr X has been envisaging that very scene for some time now...... Cheers!
Where we have Jody in a concrete overcoat! One thing great about the channel is the lack of horology ponciness!
I imagine it going more like: “Helllloooooooo!!!... blub blub blub bluuub blub blubbb”
Nice change of pace ftom the endless Chinese micro brand/ fake garbage. Good effort Jody. A great reliable, well made, reasonably priced functional watch perfectly filmed I can even forgive you this being a, "sponsored", review. Stay healthy.
The best bang for buck diver on the market, beats anything Seiko has for the same money and more...
Jody, saying Citizen is "vanilla" or the little cousin is seriously understating the brand. It's one of the best out there with rather long history and not to mention that it's an actual movement maker....
Silly to say such a thing ....
But that's how I feel about the brand. They just don't excite me!
@@JustOneMoreWatch
Maybe not exciting, but cmon Seiko is guilty to the same extent of that. Their lines are full of unremarkable pieces.
I want to add that this watch in the review is great indeed.
If you're looking for a bargain to review in the future, take a look at Pi Ratio watches (seen them in creationwatches).
Citizen even owns a Swiss movement factory, and Swiss brands Frederic Constant and Alpina
But I think that's the beauty of watches and watch collecting. I can sit here and say that Seiko is like the "red headed step child" (no offense to anyone) of watches (which I know they are not, but follow along) and I know I would have more than just a few comments telling me how "bad" of a comment that is... and I would be ok with that, because that is what I think. I, too, believe Citizen is a good, reliable brand that is more or less under appreciated, but many people think other wise. Nothing wrong with that. Im not going to lie though, the "vanilla" comment and the "little cousin thats not that interesting" was pretty dag-on funny. The review though was pretty spot on though. Blessings to all of you gents. Stay safe.
Citizen don't get much love but they have some great watches with great movements.
I dive , diving is my hobby , this is the watch I wear in the water .... mine is blue .
Jamie you hit the nail on the head with this one! This is my go to dive watch It actually checks all the boxes a scuba diver would want or need. Could do without the air tank but that’s really my only pinch. Finished excellent and most of all not a knock off of any other diver! I can’t tell you how many videos I’ve seen that explain the use of the bezel incorrectly, even folks that claim to dive have described it incorrectly. The strap is crap but hey I typically swap them out anyway. Stay safe and well in the land down under!
My favorite watch of all time. I have the blue one, and have taken it diving many times. It’s very hard to argue against a watch that just works. I have an SKX as well, and while it is a fantastic piece of industrial design, it’s also +40 seconds a day... Great channel by the way!
Do Citizen GMT's with the solar system. As well as the high quality of build the ergonomics are spot on. Love the channel
I have the Field GMT, great watch!
It's never too late to learn to swim, Jody. I really encourage you to take the time. As well as making you safer around water, being able to swim means you could potentially help out if you saw someone in trouble. And swimming is a lot of fun and it's a no-impact exercise.
swimming is over rated and drowning is a bummer.
i love the eco drive movement; truly set and forget! my favorite is the brycen chronograph, which i have in blue. much like this one, it fits its purpose as a tool perfectly and also just looks great
Got one, love it - ditch the strap and get a Nato - this is the ultimate daily wear - great review Jody, keep 'em coming!
Hey Jody, I'd love to see either the citizen nighthawk or the citizen calendrier in for a review.
Absolutely! Two really fun watches.
was about to comment about the nighthawk myself
Stick a Nighthawk on a strap with stitching matching the sub dial colour & they look incredible 👍
I would love to see you review the nighthawk. May or may not be your style but it definitely is interesting and rather unique.
100% with those of you who are advocating the Nighthawk. Some say that the dial is too busy, but I love mine!!
I own this watch couldn't recomend enough for price
After acquiring and flipping a number of divers over the past couple of years, this will remain in my collection permanently - especially after picking it up for $183 AUD from an AD on an eBay sale in 2018. Much more convenient to slap it on wrist for weekend wear and not have to wind and set the time than any auto I've had. Looks and feels substantially more expensive than it is with the Citizen 59-S06105 bracelet - definitely better than any mid-range Prospex Seiko diver bracelet I've experienced.
I still use my dad's citizen watch as my daily driver which is 37 years old and serviced only once (5 years back)....they surely are robust
Loved the review ❤️
Love from India.
I bought one of these, doubtless influenced by JOMW. A green one, on a bracelet.
Everything lines up, it's accurate and it feels entirely like a quality object.
I underestimated Citizen.
Citizen has really redefined the affordable analog quartz watch market. Their quartz are really good; I love how the seconds hand hits the markers on point. I have an eco drive model which is very aqua terra-ish which I have had for over 6 years and its amazing.
Great review. Ive owned this watch for 2 years and its a tough as nails piece. Highly recommend for a diver daily beater. Thanks for sharing Jody
The ECO Drive tech is excellent. I've had a couple for over 10 years now and they run and run and run. The cells in Citizen's ECO Drive are rated to remain 80% effective after 20 years. Can't argue with that. This past Christmas I picked up their Brycen racing style chrono with the black dial. Excellent watch with chrono registers that can actually be read.
I have owned this watch for about 5/6 years or so. I really took a while to appreciate it and this was before I started my collection of watches. Since then I have collected about 10-12 watches and this one has stayed in my collection. I have found that I appreciate it more the longer I have it and have no intention of selling it. I don't dive, but it has been in the ocean and swimming pools many many time. Love it.
Jody, I really like the solar movement of citizen for sure a great idea for a diver, but I want suggest you to try an automatic driver from Citizen, the NY0040, I bought it and it is still my favorite.
I got this watch on a bracelet some months ago, and I really love it. The micro adjustment/diver suit adjustment is great. I find it very comfortable, and it wears great for it's size. I don't mind it being quartz, and find it's being solar powered great. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a nice diver watch without having to spend all that much. I also think it is worh spending a bit more to get the bracelet.
Love this watch, simple, reliable and amazing, all you really need in a watch.
It even pushes me towards the idea that Eco-drive watches might be an overall better option than automatics, which I never thought would happen. :D
After collecting automatic and quartz watches since the early 90’s I have come to the same conclusion ! No service costs, no battery replacements , no insurance costs ; and everything you really need for a great price !
Eco-drive is a far superior than automatics movements. I believe people who disagree with that have fallen for the marketing strategies of companies. Kind of like how people have been tricked to believe diamonds are valuable because we fall fell for the marketing of The Beers Group’s “Diamonds are Forever” campaign.
@@seanr6865 I’m going to take the plunge (excuse the pun) and get one of these watches, as much as I have a fascination about automatic watches they are far from being the most accurate and I think it’s time for me to have a change.
@@jasonclarke7422 I start with automatics, then to manual wind. no fancy watches just seiko 5, then turn to casio. now? Only 3 mechanical watches are left in the box. if you're into time keeping, you'll embrace quartz happily. they just better. now daily I wear between casio lineage tough solar or Reguno (Citizen) solar tech.
You should certainly keep going in the ProMaster series. I have a Skyhawk that is one of the most useful watches that I have. Having a UTC dial as an IT guy is great, since many devices run that anyway. The two alarms, chrono, and countdown timer are a nice touch as well. With radio controlled time and an eco-drive movement, you never have to fuss with it at all.
First watch I ever bought after getting a JOB was a citizen ecodrive titatium 20 years ago, still runs like a champ. How about you review a Citizen Promaster Tough, looks like a great field watch: bracelet + sapphire crystal + ecodrive + harden stainless steel surface.
I missed out on this one the past winter when it was $ 88 on Amazon 😢
I have one right now, whenever i going outdoors, i will wear it. Best value you can get for a diver.
200m divers certified
suitable case size
nice 60 sturdy click bezel
Nice curves and smooth shape
Very nice lume.
Design is very prominent and practical.
I own this in blue and it's such a good everyday watch. I did get a blue barton silicone elite band for it and the color matches dead on. I think my favorite part about this watch is how great the lume is. I did snag it a few years ago when the prices were a little cheaper but even at $165 it's a good deal.
The Orient Triton / Neptune.. in house movement great watch for the price, oh and has sapphire crystal.
Good suggestion!
Favorite watch in my collection.
Yes but 120$ more,😃
A great franken-watch for me would be a solar-UHF Triton...
Orient Kamasu also with sapphire is perhaps a closer competitor.
The Navihawk and Skyhawk deserve some love too -would love to watch your reviews on those. Great pilot watches that aren't talked about too much.
hi Jody, thanks for this fantastic review. Yes. that watch is absolute winner for the price. You just can not go wrong with this watch, specially at $165.00. thanks for the review, Jody.
love that the seconds hand does what its supposed to! also love the overall watch, very tempting
It has Eco-drive, I'm in!
Mine just got delivered this morning. Enjoying it. I'm liking the simplicity of purpose, and how robust it is. The strap is not ideal, but this price point, it's ok.
Do you dive with it? The strap goes right around a wetsuit, or sinches down around my bare writs. Perfect tool watch. Except for the silly print on the outside. No one uses that. We use dive tables or a computer.
I've a ton of Seiko and the GS is my grail watch (gmt) but Citizen has taken over Love the GMT's
I would love to see more Certina, Mido, and Rado from Joma shop! Lots of value in those brands for around $500. Thanks for all you do Jody!
For the next Jomashop batch, I would love to see more Swiss Entry Levels: Certina, Hamilton, Tissot, a Longines if you can squeeze it?
Picked up the blue one for Christmas. Had to send it back for warranty. The kept bezel jamming. Got it back in two weeks. All in all I’ve been very happy with it.
I much prefer Citizen watches over Seiko. I’ve owned both and I always sell my Seikos. Never my Citizens. Jody, check out the Citizen Avion flieger style pilots watch. It has a large case size at 44mm but a solid movement and just a great every day watch! Great video btw. Def adding this one to my collection 👍
My favourite diver. Some people saying a beater..When you are working class guy this is more of a grail than beater . Love the vids.
I've got several citizens. They're great. The automatic version of this watch (w. day-date) is phenomenal, too. I have an ecozilla and an orca (I like the larger models) and they're all cherished parts of the rotation.
I have this model in both blue and black and absolutely love them. While everyone is enamored with automatics and I have too many automatic divers to mention, these two are my go to daily wears. They are absolutely superior to both the Citizen NY004 and Seiko SKX models from my perspective. The bezel is better than both of the others (I have all three) and I never wear the either of my SKX models or my NY004. These two promasters are in my regular rotation with a variety of other watches, but the blue version gets more wrist time than any other watch I own. If you can set aside the automatic and mineral glass requirements you will absolutely love this watch. Amazing beater/daily watch that looks and wears great
I forgot to mention that the black one regularly goes in sale for $88 on Amazon, which is what I paid for mine. I got the blue one on Amazon for $135.
Jody, here's a couple of Citizens at Jomashop that caught my eye: Chandler blue dial chrono, green dial CTO dress watch, and silver case Promaster Nighthawk GMT. All well under $500. Cheers. PS that SCUBA tank packaging is a bit cheesy. Maybe skip it and give us a better band. PPS Come to think of it, on paper the 3 watches that I mention make a solid 3 watch collection for well under a grand.
This and the ny00-series of automatics are simply incredible tool watches
I've been thinking of getting one for awhile now.
I have the blue and picked it up last year for $85. Excellent watch!!!
maybe something a bit of an all rounder like Longines Conquest (Quartz) could be fun
I bought mine in December '19. It's running just over one second per month fast. YMMV. Gotta love it!
A great affordable tool watch
Hi Jody, i do have a suggestion, it is the Citizen NY00. Its the "SKX" from Citizen, it has military provenance, and since i got one i fell in love with it.
citizen is a great watch, can't go wrong with this one
One of my first divers is a Citizen Promaster NY0040 with a Miyota 8000 series movement... Great lume and it's kitty friendly.
That's a big shout out to Balmoral Beach at the start there
Balmoral, best place in Sydney!
Where? 😂 That kangaville?
Please review Junghans Max Bill handwind.
Lmao at the war room mention 💀
time stamp?
@@Edgaros around 2:10
We should all have a proper war room.
Gentry...😎👍
Thanks for the review, Jody! I've worn so many divers and this is my favorite ... I keep coming back to it. So comfortable on a better strap, rugged, and very accurate. It's a beater that gets more wrist time than my SKX because it wears so well.
I still think the Casio Duro is a winner, could do with a bit more lume but otherwise a great contender. I have the new gold edition and will be buying the new blue version shortly.
Matthew Moses I have both and the Citizen is in another league.
@@gtbigdog3507 and double the price.
I purchased this one on the rubber strap but I've been looking for the bracelet. Great review Jody as always. Cheers!
Try Ebay for a bracelet for this one. The one I saw there is not made by Citizen but the seller claims it will fit this model. Good luck.
@@hhickshhicks Thank Doc. I did order one from a ebay. It arrived a few days ago. Check it out on my Instagram @justtakingtime
Most citizen watches are more well built than Seiko's.
Lol since when? No disrespect to Citizen but Seiko have better quality control. Citizen got some bad qc on their lower priced watches but their promaster is definitely a winner.
@@skyisdlimit6125 I believe Seiko is infamous for its poor QC when installing misaligned chapter rings and bezel inserts. Watch the JOMW video titled "FINALLY! The Seiko We Don't Have To Mod! King Turtle" And you'll see that their quality control on a $400+ watch is atrocious.
I say, the seiko and citizen goes equally good on quality. I have seiko chrono quartz from 2004 and still ticking, and gave my mom a citizen ecodrive and still ticking since 2006.
@@RM-el3gw I've had 2 dozen Seikos, had one with a misaligned chapter ring and one with a misaligned bezel, both easily fixed. The whole issue is way overblown by hysterical people.
I LOVE!!!!!!!! the look of this thing just pulled the trigger on one from Amazon black Friday for 150
This one went up more than 40% in price this year.. It's over $200 and it used to be $139 ($99 on sale) on amazon us..
Tf $99 on sale?!
They were $84.00 on amazon cyber Monday sale last year
99 that’s when I bought
Very good review of the Citizen Eco-Drive Automatic Dive watch. I just recently picked up the Citizen Godzilla S.P. Singular Point Promaster Limited Edition Automatic NY0080-21Z dive watch and could not be happier. Limited to 500 pieces worldwide, the 8204 automatic Citizen movement is excellent, and the red dial is literally on fire. The dial also features a very subtle image of Godzilla's dorsal spine and the case back features an etched image of Godzilla's head. Such a fun and special dive watch. This has now become my most favorite dive watch in my collection. Thank you for a very nice Citizen Promaster watch review!
If you liked this, you should really check its auto cousin, the infamous NY0040!
I have one of those, the blue one with the sunburst dail. Too bad its totally forgotten in the shadows of the skx. Better looking, better movement ( thats what i think anyways) And also issued to the italian frogmen!
@@johanjonsson3481 I also have a blue NY0040. I don't agree that it is a better watch than the SKX though, design wise at least. I think that the SKX is one of the best looking divers no matter the price level.
@@johanjonsson3481 Didn't they have the black version ;). Yep the blue one is a stunner btw.
Orient Triton. You had mentioned in your best under $400 that you would get around to this one. It is a bit big, but it fits so well, and has a great movement. Love to see you review it!
"Vanilla brand !" Love it ! But seriously, if I compare the above Citizen that cost me 200 quid with my "prestigious" 300 m Hamilton automatic diver chronograph with Valjoux movement that cost me seven times as much and which leaked in sea water the first time I took it swimming one metre under the baby waves at the beach and had to be sent away to Switzerland for repairs which took six weeks I would be quite happy to call Citizen a "vanilla brand." But that now begs the question of what should I call my Hamilton "alleged" 300 meters water resistant ? I know, I got it: "SHIT brand."
Ouch! I hope they fixed it up for you. Never understood the dive chrono myself.... Cheers mate!
I bought one of these on the stock bracelet and can confirm it's a very very solid piece. Perfect pick up and go watch. Reliable like a Volkswagen
An old Beetle, not their modern rubbish
Waiting for this review. The best watch I have ever owned. For the price and build quality, nothing Seiko manufactures now can compete. Perfectly aligned chapter ring and bezel. Great on a nato or stainless band and a terrific beater. Check out the classic BM6400. Amazing! Kieran
Thnx for the review !! Another great point on buying a new Citizen watch is their incredible 5 year warranty which most new watches in this price range do not have!
Wasn't a proper trip to the swimming baths in Scotland in the 80's if the attendant didn't get out that long net to retrieve a troublesome jobbie
I have the blue version for over a year now, i wear it a ton, went diving with it, cliff diving as well (the nato strap saved the watch, because 1 spring bar fell out). I regularly bang my watches, most of them have several scratches, this one honestly looks as new, the only tell of it being worn a lot is a couple of little dots in the aluminium bezel.
This is probably the most legible watches I've seen, you can tell the time from any angle under any light pretty much.
The loom is amazing, not just the fact that it lasts long, but how strong it is. Sometimes I just walk into the shade in the summer and those beautiful blue hands and circles light up, it's still a pleasure to look at after more than a year.
Also I think the Eco-Drive is the most practical movement for a dive-watch, without question. It means the watch can run for pretty much forever, and you don't have to take off the back to service it, and maybe compromising the integrity of it.
I wear it on a blue/white nato, in my opinion looks amazing, and for swimming I'd for sure suggest it based on my experience mentioned before. I have a 6 1/4 inch wrist (ladywrist gang), and it's perfect imo, maybe on the edge of being too big.
The bezel has absolutely 0 backplay and everything is perfectly aligned.
I set the time/date on first March, and as of now it's one second behind.
No I'm not payed by citizen
I have the blue dialed version and think that you're spot on with this one. Like all of the Eco-Drive watches in my collection it is freakishly accurate, far more than the specs in my experience. And it looks great on a NATO strap as well if you're a fan of them. A certain other major brand should wake up and take notice! Thanks mate!
P. S. I remember the group Veruca Salt from back in the day but still had to look up the reference...ewww!
Couldn’t agree more. It’s my backup to a dive computer when I get the occasion to take a dive. I bought the stainless bracelet for it with the quick adjust, cost as much as the watch did....still worth it.
Sadly, now it goes over 200 bucks
Yup, bugger
Got one and 5 other Ecodrives. "Tank" on my desk (at the office). Was a great bonus discussion piece.
There you are! I thought pool room, but if office desk works for you mate.... 👍
That's no Vostok Amphibia.
Jody, I am so glad you reviewed this watch. I have the black & blue one. I agree the factory band is pretty bad, I swapped out both of mine for different straps. Super accurate and I put mine in the window sill every 2 weeks for a day. Super value and I have been so happy with these watches.
great video, mate - maybe review the Citizen Promaster Tough range? Bertucci field watches?
What a coincidence, ordered the new Diver BNO167-50H Grey dial version from Jomashop yesterday on a Labor Day sale...$234. Have several EcoDrives, this one jumped out at me.
Much appreciation to you for the quality videos you produce, as there is a great deal of valuable information contained therein.
D Neely
El Paso, Texas
Great review on what may become my first Eco-Drive. Thanks!
Hey Jody, I just picked up a Citizen ap1050-56a as a dress piece this week. I found one on eBay for an absolute song at $129. Sapphire crystal, day, date, month, and Moon phase complications. Very, very handsome on a butterfly clasp bracelet.
I have citizen promaster automatic from late 90s. The lume is slightly radioactive(only detectable when out of case). I think that is why they put do not open warning on the back. Thin piece of paper placed between the hands and the tube blocks all of the emissions so it is nothing to worry about in normal operation of the watch
I got the Blue Promaster Eco-drive about five years back from an authorized dealer for $119. This size is not too big and not too small. The nice blue Citizen lume lasts all night. Finally, the watch runs +1 sec...per month...for real. I did discard the Citizen dive band and now wear it on an Uncle Seiko waffle strap. I've got two of those straps - one black and one blue. The blue on the watch is dark so on a black strap it looks darker and on the blue strap it looks more blue - true versatility. This is the best watch I've ever owned.
About time somebody sung the praises for this great watch. I have had one for 18 months and it is accurate to within 1 second per month.
Great review! I have been looking at this watch for a graduate majoring in marine biology. Won’t break the bank but will get the job done.
I picked up the blue version on amazon. It was on a one day sale for 118 usd. Great watch. Love it
Jody, I also can't swim (same reasons) but use a floatation device every time we go into the water... we do a lot of snorkling, and I'm safe and confident... give it a try, you'll be surprised. The whole family use them now, and our snorkling gear is essential for all beach holidays