I can’t stand that other companies use the Mercedes hands. I don’t want a Rolex wanna be! A turn off for me. I love the Seiko for it’s own identity and the case is a better build. Not to mention the bezel (it lines up on mine:) So the Seiko wins in my book.
@BroadArrow@@bellaaneke as someone posted elsewhere, respectfully, "your remark is 50 years old". Citizen is historically consistent with its mercedes hand, which featured on its older challenge diver models. Also, there is a technical reason for choosing that hand style: the star across the head of the hour hand supports the lume, which could otherwise be less secure and/or fall out more easily. Form and function, if you will. Taste is a different matter, but I feel associating exclusively mercedes hands with Rolex (or Tag Heuer?) is somewhat superannuated. Sure, to each his own.
Nice review. Just subscribed to your channel. I have the Citizen Challenge diver in black on order. Very excited to get this watch. A true tool watch look and appeal here to the Citizen.
It’s tough to beat for sure given their titanium is even tougher than what much more expensive watches use..I am looking at you Tudor and their grade 2 titanium
The steel bracelet in the Seiko might deter some, but it appeals to me more but the bracelet design is something I found interesting about the citizen. I would get the Seiko simply for the feel and finish. The movement is the only let down comparatively. Other than that, it looks like an amazing watch.
Really nice review- thank you for taking the time to produce this. I was surprised that you glossed over the Citizen clasp. The ease of adjustment with that clasp is a HUGE advantage over a most other watches. I use it all the time and miss it when I'm wearing anything else. I came very close to purchasing the Citizen but the quality of the handset disappoints as does the too small crown. As far as the Seiko, when I see an end link with that much gap, I'm immediately turned off as I relate that to the level of quality over all. The gap tolerance is horrible. So... both of these are out of contention. SEIKO SAMURAI Save the OCEAN SRPF79 looks like the next choice for me.
Managed to score myself an SPB297 for $1100 canadian pesos earlier this year, for that price I feel its a hell of a lot of watch. I've worn it loads and that dial is absolutely gorgeous in person
I no longer factor in accuracy in the Seiko equation. If you're unhappy with the accuracy, give it a month or two for the movement to work itself in then regulate it, I have mine running COSC levels. It's not difficult and if you're an enthusiast and have multiple watches, invest in a timegrapher and some basic tools, it'll pay off in the long run, rather than upgrading for for "accuracy". That said, style/finishing wise, it's not even close with these two watches. The Citizen is quite crude looking in comparison to the Seiko, it's a great watch for the money but it's not a timeless design/finish that reminds you why you bought it in the first place every time you look at it.
Wonderful review, thank you.. So fair and not hype oriented, very refreshing, a true gentleman's channel and presenter, thank you for you balanced view !
Nice video, I have had both and whilst I liked it I couldn't get on with the cheap feel of the Citizen in general (nasty bezel + the natural titanium rattle) vs. the assured weight and I think superior case, dial and hand finish on the Seiko. Still irritates me that the Seiko does not have an on-the-fly clasp adjustment at this price, they are available in their parts catalogue if they wanted to provide more value. Also the 6R35 is not great out the box for the most part, I had to regulate it to get running how it should - it was +15 when I got it, which again at the price point you think you could at least get it down to +/-10 seconds per day... I love the dial on the Seiko and that's why its in my collection as a keeper and happy since regulation to be around +1 seconds per day. Both watches could be better as you described, but both have their place. I have seen a few Pelagos QC issues reported recently so I guess even the higher price doesn't solve everything!
Thank you for the comparison. I own the Seiko SPB297 and I always love wearing it. I was tempted to get the Citizen a month or two ago, but the more I see it the more I fear it may be too banal for me. The Seiko wins.
If I could have one it would have to be the Citizen. Fair points on both! I have thick fingers so the tiny crown might annoy me. Then again having a watch that deviates 8 seconds a day is going to be frustrating as well... But that dial is gorgeous! It's a hard choice!
I have 2 low range Seiko 5 sports now, and I'm really undecided between this two watches so I will buy both in the future, starting next week with the Seiko 62mas.
Great comparison review video David. A really good point Citizen being like Seiko were! But for me the price difference is worth it for the higher quality Seiko.
Seiko is not higher quality. They use the 6r35 movement in their $1000 watches. You would have to spend $2500 on a seiko marine master with the 8l35 movement to match this miyota 9 series movement. I got this citizen today at a seiko store in Miami for $300 on sale. How can one beat that ?
Got the citizen from my wife as birthday present. The citizen is perfect in every way. What I love most is the inner curve sapphire crystal, a feature of which none of my watch have before. It looks really cool.
If it's as accurate as my miyota 8310 citizen kuroshio 64 can vouch for "insanely accurate" damn thing is keeping time with the atomic time over several days ... It's immortal 😂
Your intro made me realize that I'm slightly unique. I've got a Rolex, a couple Omegas, a Tudor, an Oris, a Marathon, several Casio G-Shocks, a couple Hamiltons, and a Timex. I've sold and traded a bunch more. But I've never owned a Seiko or a Citizen. Looked at them plenty and nearly bought an Alpina instead of my Murph, but never did. Didn't even realize it until this intro!
I've had both Seiko 63mas SPB213 and SPB147 and both flipped them (I do miss them). Got an SLA037 as my Seiko diver. Looking forward to my blue Citizen Challenge diver. Would've gotten the black one if it weren't for the titanium bracelet on the blue.
8 Seiko’s in my collection(Down from 10+)… 6 citizens in my collection(Two recent purchases)… Citizen is definitely gaining… I really like a lot of recent releases particularly in the pro master line. I’ve also gone back and purchased two blue angel edition watches… I’d like to get them all… I think there’s six total. Both brands have their pluses and minuses and I’ll always have a bunch of each of my collection! Thanks for the comparison…
8:33 The Seiko also uses pins and collars. I think all of their Prospex divers do. For this comparison, Citizen wins in terms of value. It should be quite a fair bit cheaper than the Seiko. I also reckon Citizen's Duractec is superior than Seiko's DLC. However in terms of finishing, dial and aesthetics, Seiko wins hands down. The Citizen's case is rather crude compared to the finely sculptured Seiko.
I've had the Seiko SPB and current has the Citizen Titanium. I agree with his review. My personal short opinion is the Seiko felt higher quality, when you wind the watch, the action felt smoother. It also looked higher quality. But the Citizen is half the weight, even less with nylon Nato straps. It's less than the cost of the Seiko. That was the bottom line, as a knock around watch I don't mind banging around the $400 Citizen (I bought used). I was a little more careful with the $1000 Seiko.
Hello, I am a Japanese and a SEIKO fan. I am Japanese and a fan of SEIKO. I have owned quite a few SEIKO watches in the past. Not only divers but also Presage, Astron and Grand Seiko are included there. Not only me, but many Japanese SEIKO fans are disappointed with SEIKO these days. Especially the unfriendly after-sales service and the easy product development which is often limited edition. I am also fed up with the inaccuracy of 6R series movements. In contrast, CITIZEN's service center staffs are very kind and their work is very professional. I think CITIZEN's products are better in quality if you compare them in the same price range. The only thing that SEIKO has over CITIZEN is its brand power. At present, I think SEIKO is the best if you choose a watch by name value, and CITIZEN is the best if you choose a watch by quality. I hope SEIKO will be revived, but if not, I will become a fan of CITIZEN.
Very difficult to say which to choose from. Not keen on the Citizen bezel should have markers all the way around ideally and the hands look like it's trying to be a Sub...Had experience of X2 SKX Seiko's the J Japan version was OK but the other the one the crown stripped and rests in a draw .. Neither particularly accurate and bezels never aligned perfectly. Have X2 Citizen divers Eco drive and build quality faultless. The Seiko possibly has the edge on looks, but is more expensive.. It would be a difficult decision which to part your money on, it really would.
Great review but I have two comments: 1. The Citizen on bracelet definitely doesn't weight 75g. You probably checked the model with the rubber strap. 2. Saying that 42 hours reserve is unacceptable is problematic as so many Swiss brands use the Sellita SW-200 with its 38 hours on so many models.
Dont let the seiko 14mm thickness fool you…it wears and looks like a 12mm Also the seiko bracelet links are top notch but the clasp is trash 😂 But that Seiko blue glacier dial…game over!
I was looking at a Pelagos for quite some time but I can't understand why they keep the backcase in Stainless, I know Tudor say it's better to have it in Stainless rather than titanium but other brands seems to do it without issues so.. What's the deal? Just ordered a Blue Citizen, mainly due to me reaction to stainless steel on my wrist. That being said I also feel Seiko is pushing out way to many models (few that are interesting to me) from Seiko I would like to see more titanium models in a lower price segment. I have an Seiko Astron which I do love but it's by no means cheap.
@@The-Splat agreed! But as a side note, I have received my Citizen now and I'm really pleased so far +1s a day and really comfortable! Also got a discount :)
70 hours of PR with deplorable timekeeping and exuberant positional variance doesn't make the 6R35 a decent movement. It's yet an other tinkering of a low grade 7S26 movement, flogged to death by Seiko. Sure, Seiko does beautiful dials and cases but is that enough to make a good watch? Not for me. As much as I love my MM300 and its 8L35 movement, I'm done with Seiko's 6R series. Much prefer the Miyota 90X movements, which deliver more consistent performance in my experience.
The Seiko feels to have so much more personality to me...so much more detail (dial, hands), crystal with better AR coating, it's bracelet looks more manly to me. Thenks for your always good reviews!
Thank you! I agree with your points. Having owned and sold an spb147 and spb213 three times now..and thinking of bringing one back (it just didn’t get enough time on the wrist before)
@@ahojnazdar3656 Right on, thanks. I’ve been told they’re oddly light weight but still going to buy one. Can’t beat that classic look imho… especially for the price.
Absolutely love this watch, really dislike the end links, male too. Total shame about that Edit: the Seiko also has pins and collars 100% Double edit: can you PLEASE share with me where you got the Citizen for 30% off?!
@@perpetuality thanks! gnomon has the blue version for USD$690 and the black version for USD $560 which seems like a steal…is this comparable to what you paid?
Yeah citizen has much more this and that. You all missing the point is, the seiko is the more beautiful and appealing and enjoyable to wear. All of you missing out on life because you focus on check boxes.
Not really. I got the Citizen in blue because it has a story I connect with (lost on an Australian beach, the country I moved to, recovered in 1983, my birth year), I love the basic and classic aesthetic, and it's incredibly comfortable to wear with the titanium build. There are other reasons and I could go on but I think you're mistaken - I find it beautiful in its toolish way wherever I look at my wrist.
This is the first video I've seen saying that the lug to lug is 46 and a half on the Citizen. Literally every other video I've seen has said that the measurement is 48 or 48.5 or 48.8. This is important to me because my wrist is very narrow. I can wear a watch that is 46.5, but 48.5 is at my absolute limit and something I would like to avoid.
You're right. The lug to lug dimension he took on the Citizen is just plain wrong. It's actually about 48.5mm and a 2mm error is the size of a football field when it comes to measuring watch cases.
You REALLY missed the mark with the Citizen clasp. With it's on-the-fly, glide lock type micro adjustment it easily beats thatcheap stamped junk on the Seiko.
Power reserve means nothing to me in an automatic watch. Accuracy is everything. I love Seiko but I think they might be my number two now. My last five watch purchases have been Citizen. Seiko needs a more high end movement for the prices they’re charging. I just picked up the Citizen in your video for half of what that Seiko costs.
To be honest when it comes to these two watches it really comes down to which brand you prefer in watchmaking, sad to say people generally feel citizen is an inferior brand, even though they’ve been making Watches for very long time. Personal I prefer the Citizen
Citizen wins even if the Seiko slightly edges the Citizen in the beauty contest. Citizen is Titanium and that weight matters for long duration wear and the Citizen has a better movement. The movement in the Seiko is unregulated and prone to considerable beat error unless regulated. Also Citizen quality tends to be higher.
I just picked up the promaster and my only complaint really is the bezel action... it feels rough, it feels hollow, it feels cheap, and I wish it wasn't polished (it's tough to turn compared to my SPB143). Otherwise, absolutely love the watch and it's accuracy (~+3 sec/day)
I have the citizen and only two things make it a notch below seiko. The crown is too small. And the bezel has play with a cheap tin sound when turned. Maybe the nature of the lightness of ti but not a assured feel.
I find the Seiko more atractive in quite a few ways, or even more so the SPB185. However, I don't want a 160-180g steel watch that is borderline too large for me. The Citizen is also borderline too large, but at least its weight is so much better. The lume is competitive (or even maybe better in some ways). It has a preferable movement. Is better value. And it has an integrated, first party ratcheting clasp (which is a must for me, so I'd had to get a third party one for the Seiko). I think I'm choosing the Citizen! I'd rather have the watch that really suits me and my lifestyle/preferences in a watch, instead of the one that just looks nicest.
Squint as much as I like, when I see the 62MAS re-issues like the SPB, I see a vintage diver that is a poor man's BB58, if you want to be like that. Or rather: A Skin diver. When I see the Citizen, I don't see sixties' design. I see a modern dive watch that would indeed be a poor man's Pelagos, or.a modern professional diver. 8 versus 4 seconds per day is fine. COSC or no COSC, it's irrelevant to me, because my other watches are high accuracy quartz watches. Stylistically I can say I prefer the Seiko. I hate Mercedes-hands. And I like the bigger crown. But the titanium watch that is a whopping 1.5mm thinner will definitely wear well. Seiko diver's are too damn top heavy, I've never had one I didn't end up selling. But damn, they are good looking. I love what Seiko is doing with their dials. That said, I think you're biased. The Seiko diver has two lines of text with one PS logo above it. The Citizen has two lines of text with a Promaster logo above it. Seiko has the cleaner print on the dial, not Citizen. Then on top of that, the Citizen on bracelet is 110 grams, the 80 gram version is the one on rubber. So "three times the weight" is also inaccurate. That said, this video did convince me to pick up neither of them. :) Thank you.
I can understand how a power reserve could matter to some people. But, if you're going to actually wear your watch, you don't care. Great watches to compare. No surprised Citizen is more accurate. I'll take the Citizen all day long.
I feel like this needs more attention - this is the price I'm buying one for today from AD with a full warranty and nothing else comes close. Full titanium, 28800 BPH, ISO certified, beautifully vintage sapphire crystal, and even a bit of extra magnetic resistance (200 gauss) for good measure. The kind of specs you usually can only get from a microbrand at this price - but from a Japanese brand with history, and a model with a story. No brainer IMO!
@perpetuality Happy Long Weekend!! Thanks for the great comparison, am wanting to get the Citizen in black.. can you please DM me the website you bought your blue one. I’m also in Canada, Vancouver BC. Cheers! giuseppe
@@perpetuality thank you very much for your quick reply! I will look into that site. Am also checking Bzlhaus website ftom time to time to check if some of your personal watches are for sale there too😉 More power to you and your channel! Am enjoying your content since the start of your channel. Giuseppe
Few misses in the review... There is not much room for Citizen to improve titanium bezel and the clasp is much better than Seiko's, with ratcheting extension that you did not mention. Much easier and better solution than 6 micro adjustments of Seiko. Citizen is winner in my opinion, but still, Seiko dial and design wins my heart.
Pour moi la citizen est devant: meilleur mouvement, titane, poids très inférieur et j’ai horreur du X seiko… seul avantage, la finition du boitier est plus travaillée chez seiko… enfin prix très avantageux chez citizen…
That Citizen's clasp is both a microadjustment and diver's extension system in one mechanism. But I prefer the Seiko's dial and hands, Mercedes hands on a modern watch is a bit tacky.
I have had some.Seikos (turtles,skx's,sumo's etc) nd 90% was the QC not the best. I still love Seiko, but they dissapointed me alloy over the years with the bezel mis-alignment etc. Paying more then a 1000 nd still the QC isnt the best. I bought 2 Citizens (the one in the video and a diver) and both are in perfect condition. The bezel is perfectly set in the middle! I had my doubts because of the Mercedes hand, but I know why Citizen did it nd this is a copy of the 1 that has been in the ocean for more then 10yrs. So its not that this a complete new model with Mercedes hands on it. I think Im starting to love Citizen.
This comparison really depends on what one is looking for. For me the Seiko is overall the better watch. The Citizen wins on vph and has a 6 sec accuracy difference, and that's the only win for me. Titanium vs SS is a wash. Ti is lighter, however SS weight comes with a level of assurance and heft that I like. The bracelet and case finishing is a big win. The brushing, polishing, case design are leagues above the Citizen in every way. The dial is another big win. The dial, the markers and hour hands are again, leagues above the Citizen... at least for me. The 62Mas inspired Seiko wins big for me... its just the better built and much more visually interesting watch.
All great points I mostly agree with but then the Citizen can be routinely had at a steep discount and undercuts the Seiko by a fair margin. For the right person that may matter a lot. It’s great we have options in my opinion
The bracelet on the Citizen shits on Seiko's though. The clasp especially utterly destroys the trash Seiko clasp. Also the hardend titanium is leagues ahead in terms of scratch resistance.
5:44 Dude you are not measuring the Citizen's lug to lug properly, you're not even measuring it from the end of the lug. The lug to lug is actually 48.7. So the Seiko has a shorter lug to lug. This surprised me, it wore larger than an SKX but looked and felt smaller than the SKX (or 5kx if you have one) thanks to the aluminum and lack of crown guard. I still wish they had made the lug to lug 46 or 47, I wouldn't care about losing a mm in case diameter. The lug to lug is about exact for my wrist. The crown is too small, I think it makes it look delicate. That is a fair gripe. The bezel feels like it's off a Timex explorer, the case is unremarkable fully brushed, and the rotor is loud. But damn it's accurate and a high beat. The 60 click bezel isn't annoying, it's the dull bezel texture, so it being a light action is probably good, very little back play and good alignment. Citizen could make it basically perfect with some simple revisions. As it is, I still like it, it's a good value.
"They both have flat sapphire crystals": Wrong, the Seiko has a boxed double dome sapphire crystal. "... but the Seiko only uses pins": Wrong, the Seiko uses pins and collars Where's the comparison to the Tudor Pelagos? In mean, I love my 63MAS watches (I own both the SPB143 and SPB149), but I would never even try to begin to compare them to the Pelagos. Let alone compare a Citizen to a Tudor. You should call this video "comparing the Citizen and Seiko 1965 inspired watches".
I prefer the Citizen. It has a better movement, titanium, no QC issues and cheaper.
The bezel did in fact line up perfectly 👍
People are going to fight you for saying that it has a better movement but fact of the matter is the movement is a significant upgrade in most ways.
I can’t stand that other companies use the Mercedes hands. I don’t want a Rolex wanna be! A turn off for me. I love the Seiko for it’s own identity and the case is a better build. Not to mention the bezel (it lines up on mine:) So the Seiko wins in my book.
@@Casualcollector2024 completely agree! Nice design ruined by the Mercedes hour hand.
@BroadArrow@@bellaaneke as someone posted elsewhere, respectfully, "your remark is 50 years old". Citizen is historically consistent with its mercedes hand, which featured on its older challenge diver models. Also, there is a technical reason for choosing that hand style: the star across the head of the hour hand supports the lume, which could otherwise be less secure and/or fall out more easily. Form and function, if you will. Taste is a different matter, but I feel associating exclusively mercedes hands with Rolex (or Tag Heuer?) is somewhat superannuated. Sure, to each his own.
This is the comparison I've been looking for! Titanium and better accuracy wins for me.
Never having to worry about scratches or fingerprints is also really nice! Thanks so much for watching
This is the comparison I knew was coming. Thanks
Nice review. Just subscribed to your channel. I have the Citizen Challenge diver in black on order. Very excited to get this watch. A true tool watch look and appeal here to the Citizen.
Titanium puts the citizen over the line here. Especially with the extra hard coating. Good quality for the price. And that from a seiko fanboy.
It’s tough to beat for sure given their titanium is even tougher than what much more expensive watches use..I am looking at you Tudor and their grade 2 titanium
Perfecr review, I’m glad I came across your channel! You gained yourself a stable follower❤️
The steel bracelet in the Seiko might deter some, but it appeals to me more but the bracelet design is something I found interesting about the citizen.
I would get the Seiko simply for the feel and finish. The movement is the only let down comparatively. Other than that, it looks like an amazing watch.
I'm amused by all the "Seiko looks to be much better quality" comments. The end link fitment on the Seiko is pretty terrible, actually.
Really nice review- thank you for taking the time to produce this. I was surprised that you glossed over the Citizen clasp. The ease of adjustment with that clasp is a HUGE advantage over a most other watches. I use it all the time and miss it when I'm wearing anything else. I came very close to purchasing the Citizen but the quality of the handset disappoints as does the too small crown. As far as the Seiko, when I see an end link with that much gap, I'm immediately turned off as I relate that to the level of quality over all. The gap tolerance is horrible. So... both of these are out of contention. SEIKO SAMURAI Save the OCEAN SRPF79 looks like the next choice for me.
Great video and another brilliant review. Thanks 😊
I appreciate your kind comment greatly Faruk! Have a great Saturday
Managed to score myself an SPB297 for $1100 canadian pesos earlier this year, for that price I feel its a hell of a lot of watch. I've worn it loads and that dial is absolutely gorgeous in person
Missed your videos, man!
Woo hoo!
Another great video!
Keep it up! 😍
Thank you Daryl! Certainly is rewarding to hear that. Have yourself an excellent weekend 😃
Excellent review. I have a 62mas but am intrigued by the Citizen.
I no longer factor in accuracy in the Seiko equation. If you're unhappy with the accuracy, give it a month or two for the movement to work itself in then regulate it, I have mine running COSC levels. It's not difficult and if you're an enthusiast and have multiple watches, invest in a timegrapher and some basic tools, it'll pay off in the long run, rather than upgrading for for "accuracy". That said, style/finishing wise, it's not even close with these two watches. The Citizen is quite crude looking in comparison to the Seiko, it's a great watch for the money but it's not a timeless design/finish that reminds you why you bought it in the first place every time you look at it.
Wise works. Thanks.
Great video, subbed and thanks :)
Wonderful review, thank you.. So fair and not hype oriented, very refreshing, a true gentleman's channel and presenter, thank you for you balanced view !
Nice video, I have had both and whilst I liked it I couldn't get on with the cheap feel of the Citizen in general (nasty bezel + the natural titanium rattle) vs. the assured weight and I think superior case, dial and hand finish on the Seiko. Still irritates me that the Seiko does not have an on-the-fly clasp adjustment at this price, they are available in their parts catalogue if they wanted to provide more value. Also the 6R35 is not great out the box for the most part, I had to regulate it to get running how it should - it was +15 when I got it, which again at the price point you think you could at least get it down to +/-10 seconds per day... I love the dial on the Seiko and that's why its in my collection as a keeper and happy since regulation to be around +1 seconds per day.
Both watches could be better as you described, but both have their place. I have seen a few Pelagos QC issues reported recently so I guess even the higher price doesn't solve everything!
Nice comparison, thanks.
Thanks John!
I normally prefer Seiko, but Citizen wins this time.
Both offer something that each respectively lack in my opinion! The citizen is a great watch
Thank you for the comparison. I own the Seiko SPB297 and I always love wearing it. I was tempted to get the Citizen a month or two ago, but the more I see it the more I fear it may be too banal for me. The Seiko wins.
The Seiko does have that special “x-factor” that the citizen lacks. But to someone else that might not be a bad thing either! Thanks for watching
Agree Jeff. Going to put that oem strap on the spb143 for me?
@@johnrb9397 So far I only have the 143 on the bracelet. No strap change yet.
@@perpetuality It depends which Citizen models you use to compare with Seiko. I think Citizen BJ7111 will win if you for this comparison.
The font on the citizens bezel is awesome
If I could have one it would have to be the Citizen. Fair points on both! I have thick fingers so the tiny crown might annoy me. Then again having a watch that deviates 8 seconds a day is going to be frustrating as well... But that dial is gorgeous! It's a hard choice!
I have both. The citizen everyday of the week.
Great review. Where did you get the citizen for 30% off?
I have 2 low range Seiko 5 sports now, and I'm really undecided between this two watches so I will buy both in the future, starting next week with the Seiko 62mas.
Great comparison review video David. A really good point Citizen being like Seiko were! But for me the price difference is worth it for the higher quality Seiko.
Thank you Dean! Seiko undeniably makes great watches and I am excited to see Citizen offer them real good competition
Seiko is not higher quality. They use the 6r35 movement in their $1000 watches. You would have to spend $2500 on a seiko marine master with the 8l35 movement to match this miyota 9 series movement. I got this citizen today at a seiko store in Miami for $300 on sale. How can one beat that ?
@@rl7487both great watches and the Miyota 9 is my #1 movement. Great pick up on that Citizen 👏
I would go for the Citizen but for the Mercedes style hands. Owned the Seiko but sold it due to the timekeeping being terrible.
The Citizen Challanger Titanium seem like a excellent choice need to see it in person.
Nice comparison!
Thank you James
Got the citizen from my wife as birthday present. The citizen is perfect in every way. What I love most is the inner curve sapphire crystal, a feature of which none of my watch have before. It looks really cool.
No contest for me. Seiko hands down.
Citizen every time. Tough, beautiful and insanely accurate.
Great points of distinction and they are really underrated
If it's as accurate as my miyota 8310 citizen kuroshio 64 can vouch for "insanely accurate" damn thing is keeping time with the atomic time over several days ... It's immortal 😂
9051 is one of best Citizen movment... others are greats too
@@justinlangley9522i have NY 0129 - 58L its a great 250 $ watch.....i wait my NB 6021 - 68L , its ready for middle of june
Your intro made me realize that I'm slightly unique. I've got a Rolex, a couple Omegas, a Tudor, an Oris, a Marathon, several Casio G-Shocks, a couple Hamiltons, and a Timex. I've sold and traded a bunch more. But I've never owned a Seiko or a Citizen. Looked at them plenty and nearly bought an Alpina instead of my Murph, but never did. Didn't even realize it until this intro!
Great video, nice watches
I've had both Seiko 63mas SPB213 and SPB147 and both flipped them (I do miss them). Got an SLA037 as my Seiko diver. Looking forward to my blue Citizen Challenge diver. Would've gotten the black one if it weren't for the titanium bracelet on the blue.
The same reasons I had went with the blue- but now I think the black would also be a great choice for someone who doesn’t care for the bracelet
Hi how does the Challenger you got compare to your old SPB213 and SPB147 ?
8 Seiko’s in my collection(Down from 10+)… 6 citizens in my collection(Two recent purchases)… Citizen is definitely gaining… I really like a lot of recent releases particularly in the pro master line. I’ve also gone back and purchased two blue angel edition watches… I’d like to get them all… I think there’s six total. Both brands have their pluses and minuses and I’ll always have a bunch of each of my collection! Thanks for the comparison…
Excellent video. Could you please measure the width of the actual face of the watch? Thanks!
8:33 The Seiko also uses pins and collars. I think all of their Prospex divers do.
For this comparison, Citizen wins in terms of value. It should be quite a fair bit cheaper than the Seiko. I also reckon Citizen's Duractec is superior than Seiko's DLC.
However in terms of finishing, dial and aesthetics, Seiko wins hands down. The Citizen's case is rather crude compared to the finely sculptured Seiko.
Great points. Since the Seiko isn’t mine I didn’t want to resize it to find out. I agree with the points made for Citizen they make a great watch
Who among you owns an Orient Kanno and either of these watches? How does the Kanno compare?
Thanks.
Love that statement about how citizen is what seiko used to be, so true
I've had the Seiko SPB and current has the Citizen Titanium. I agree with his review. My personal short opinion is the Seiko felt higher quality, when you wind the watch, the action felt smoother. It also looked higher quality. But the Citizen is half the weight, even less with nylon Nato straps. It's less than the cost of the Seiko. That was the bottom line, as a knock around watch I don't mind banging around the $400 Citizen (I bought used). I was a little more careful with the $1000 Seiko.
That Citizen is all kinds of cool
I wish the lug definition of the Citizen is a bit more crisp, otherwise that watch is looking like an excellent release
Hello, I am a Japanese and a SEIKO fan.
I am Japanese and a fan of SEIKO. I have owned quite a few SEIKO watches in the past. Not only divers but also Presage, Astron and Grand Seiko are included there.
Not only me, but many Japanese SEIKO fans are disappointed with SEIKO these days. Especially the unfriendly after-sales service and the easy product development which is often limited edition.
I am also fed up with the inaccuracy of 6R series movements.
In contrast, CITIZEN's service center staffs are very kind and their work is very professional. I think CITIZEN's products are better in quality if you compare them in the same price range. The only thing that SEIKO has over CITIZEN is its brand power.
At present, I think SEIKO is the best if you choose a watch by name value, and CITIZEN is the best if you choose a watch by quality.
I hope SEIKO will be revived, but if not, I will become a fan of CITIZEN.
I’d take either of these-or both-before EVER considering a Tudor.
My first one was a Seiko and my second watch was a Citizen. We will see what’s next :D
Casio.
Very difficult to say which to choose from. Not keen on the Citizen bezel should have markers all the way around ideally and the hands look like it's trying to be a Sub...Had experience of X2 SKX Seiko's the J Japan version was OK but the other the one the crown stripped and rests in a draw .. Neither particularly accurate and bezels never aligned perfectly. Have X2 Citizen divers Eco drive and build quality faultless.
The Seiko possibly has the edge on looks, but is more expensive.. It would be a difficult decision which to part your money on, it really would.
Great review but I have two comments:
1. The Citizen on bracelet definitely doesn't weight 75g. You probably checked the model with the rubber strap.
2. Saying that 42 hours reserve is unacceptable is problematic as so many Swiss brands use the Sellita SW-200 with its 38 hours on so many models.
It's problematic because other watches also have a subpar hour reserve ? I don't follow your logic.
I prefer the Citizen. It has a better movement, titanium and no QC issues ! Citizen Rocks !
Beautiful watches,
Dont let the seiko 14mm thickness fool you…it wears and looks like a 12mm
Also the seiko bracelet links are top notch but the clasp is trash 😂
But that Seiko blue glacier dial…game over!
is there a aftermarket ceramic bezel option for the Citzien?
Unfortunately not.
I was looking at a Pelagos for quite some time but I can't understand why they keep the backcase in Stainless, I know Tudor say it's better to have it in Stainless rather than titanium but other brands seems to do it without issues so.. What's the deal?
Just ordered a Blue Citizen, mainly due to me reaction to stainless steel on my wrist. That being said I also feel Seiko is pushing out way to many models (few that are interesting to me) from Seiko I would like to see more titanium models in a lower price segment. I have an Seiko Astron which I do love but it's by no means cheap.
Indeed. Tudor should have used a titanium caseback.
And at Tudor’s price point, it should have used grade 5 titanium, not grade 2.
@@The-Splat agreed! But as a side note, I have received my Citizen now and I'm really pleased so far +1s a day and really comfortable! Also got a discount :)
70 hours of PR with deplorable timekeeping and exuberant positional variance doesn't make the 6R35 a decent movement. It's yet an other tinkering of a low grade 7S26 movement, flogged to death by Seiko. Sure, Seiko does beautiful dials and cases but is that enough to make a good watch? Not for me. As much as I love my MM300 and its 8L35 movement, I'm done with Seiko's 6R series. Much prefer the Miyota 90X movements, which deliver more consistent performance in my experience.
And this watch housed with Miyota 9051 movement has 16000 A/m anti-magnetism. That is also another attractive points in modern world.
The Seiko feels to have so much more personality to me...so much more detail (dial, hands), crystal with better AR coating, it's bracelet looks more manly to me. Thenks for your always good reviews!
Thank you! I agree with your points. Having owned and sold an spb147 and spb213 three times now..and thinking of bringing one back (it just didn’t get enough time on the wrist before)
Do you have either of these watches, Ahoj?
@@2K9s I dont own them. I just had oportiunitz to try them on my wrist.
@@ahojnazdar3656
Right on, thanks. I’ve been told they’re oddly light weight but still going to buy one. Can’t beat that classic look imho… especially for the price.
@@2K9sExactly oposite. The Seikos including MM200 models weigh more then they look.
What's your wrist size?
They should make a 39mm version of that citizen. Just like the Pelagos. That would be an instant buy for me
What size is your wrist?
Seiko dial wins everything.
Absolutely love this watch, really dislike the end links, male too. Total shame about that
Edit: the Seiko also has pins and collars 100%
Double edit: can you PLEASE share with me where you got the Citizen for 30% off?!
I got mine from a website starting with "sakura' from Japan.
@@perpetuality thanks! gnomon has the blue version for USD$690 and the black version for USD $560 which seems like a steal…is this comparable to what you paid?
@@Billeh556 That is indeed very close! enjoy!
Yeah citizen has much more this and that. You all missing the point is, the seiko is the more beautiful and appealing and enjoyable to wear. All of you missing out on life because you focus on check boxes.
Not really. I got the Citizen in blue because it has a story I connect with (lost on an Australian beach, the country I moved to, recovered in 1983, my birth year), I love the basic and classic aesthetic, and it's incredibly comfortable to wear with the titanium build. There are other reasons and I could go on but I think you're mistaken - I find it beautiful in its toolish way wherever I look at my wrist.
This is the first video I've seen saying that the lug to lug is 46 and a half on the Citizen. Literally every other video I've seen has said that the measurement is 48 or 48.5 or 48.8. This is important to me because my wrist is very narrow. I can wear a watch that is 46.5, but 48.5 is at my absolute limit and something I would like to avoid.
You're right. The lug to lug dimension he took on the Citizen is just plain wrong. It's actually about 48.5mm and a 2mm error is the size of a football field when it comes to measuring watch cases.
Love it citizen❤❤❤❤, i should have chose citizen, next will be it!❤❤❤
Handled the Citizen today andI cannot praise the style and finnishing enough!
You REALLY missed the mark with the Citizen clasp. With it's on-the-fly, glide lock type micro adjustment it easily beats thatcheap stamped junk on the Seiko.
Power reserve means nothing to me in an automatic watch. Accuracy is everything. I love Seiko but I think they might be my number two now. My last five watch purchases have been Citizen. Seiko needs a more high end movement for the prices they’re charging. I just picked up the Citizen in your video for half of what that Seiko costs.
To be honest when it comes to these two watches it really comes down to which brand you prefer in watchmaking, sad to say people generally feel citizen is an inferior brand, even though they’ve been making Watches for very long time.
Personal I prefer the Citizen
It’s depressing to think a $1400 Seiko is a “budget” option for some
Citizen wins even if the Seiko slightly edges the Citizen in the beauty contest.
Citizen is Titanium and that weight matters for long duration wear and the Citizen has a better movement. The movement in the Seiko is unregulated and prone to considerable beat error unless regulated. Also Citizen quality tends to be higher.
I'm guessing that the "tin" feel for the titanium bezel has to do with less mass in the overall watch.
My SEIKO SPB297J1 runs +1. It's a champion! 👍
I love Seiko watches, but I got the Citizen. It is more tool-ish in appearance and I don’t feel concerned about it developing scratches.
Citizen for me movement 4hz...seiko movement only 3hz....citizen case titanium....seiko case s.steel.....
Great review. Citizen all the way for me.
I just picked up the promaster and my only complaint really is the bezel action... it feels rough, it feels hollow, it feels cheap, and I wish it wasn't polished (it's tough to turn compared to my SPB143). Otherwise, absolutely love the watch and it's accuracy (~+3 sec/day)
Hi do you prefer the Citizen or SPB143 if you had to keep one ?
@@daveLin104 honestly, i’d take the spb… the bezel action is significantly better. But I do really like them both
@@somebodyelse5 thanks for getting back :)
I prefer the toolish look of the Citizen diver, but that's just me.
I have the citizen and only two things make it a notch below seiko. The crown is too small. And the bezel has play with a cheap tin sound when turned. Maybe the nature of the lightness of ti but not a assured feel.
I find the Seiko more atractive in quite a few ways, or even more so the SPB185. However, I don't want a 160-180g steel watch that is borderline too large for me. The Citizen is also borderline too large, but at least its weight is so much better. The lume is competitive (or even maybe better in some ways). It has a preferable movement. Is better value. And it has an integrated, first party ratcheting clasp (which is a must for me, so I'd had to get a third party one for the Seiko). I think I'm choosing the Citizen! I'd rather have the watch that really suits me and my lifestyle/preferences in a watch, instead of the one that just looks nicest.
Squint as much as I like, when I see the 62MAS re-issues like the SPB, I see a vintage diver that is a poor man's BB58, if you want to be like that. Or rather: A Skin diver. When I see the Citizen, I don't see sixties' design. I see a modern dive watch that would indeed be a poor man's Pelagos, or.a modern professional diver.
8 versus 4 seconds per day is fine. COSC or no COSC, it's irrelevant to me, because my other watches are high accuracy quartz watches.
Stylistically I can say I prefer the Seiko. I hate Mercedes-hands. And I like the bigger crown. But the titanium watch that is a whopping 1.5mm thinner will definitely wear well. Seiko diver's are too damn top heavy, I've never had one I didn't end up selling. But damn, they are good looking. I love what Seiko is doing with their dials.
That said, I think you're biased. The Seiko diver has two lines of text with one PS logo above it. The Citizen has two lines of text with a Promaster logo above it. Seiko has the cleaner print on the dial, not Citizen. Then on top of that, the Citizen on bracelet is 110 grams, the 80 gram version is the one on rubber. So "three times the weight" is also inaccurate.
That said, this video did convince me to pick up neither of them. :) Thank you.
I can understand how a power reserve could matter to some people. But, if you're going to actually wear your watch, you don't care. Great watches to compare. No surprised Citizen is more accurate.
I'll take the Citizen all day long.
The Citizen can be had now for $450 USD when on sales. Unbeatable value.
I feel like this needs more attention - this is the price I'm buying one for today from AD with a full warranty and nothing else comes close. Full titanium, 28800 BPH, ISO certified, beautifully vintage sapphire crystal, and even a bit of extra magnetic resistance (200 gauss) for good measure. The kind of specs you usually can only get from a microbrand at this price - but from a Japanese brand with history, and a model with a story. No brainer IMO!
@perpetuality Happy Long Weekend!!
Thanks for the great comparison, am wanting to get the Citizen in black.. can you please DM me the website you bought your blue one. I’m also in Canada, Vancouver BC. Cheers!
giuseppe
Giuseppe- cannot seem to dM here. I got mine from Japan from one of the big websites! Starts with “Sakura”
@@perpetuality thank you very much for your quick reply! I will look into that site. Am also checking Bzlhaus website ftom time to time to check if some of your personal watches are for sale there too😉 More power to you and your channel! Am enjoying your content since the start of your channel.
Giuseppe
Seiko anytime of the week
Citizen is so underrated.
Few misses in the review... There is not much room for Citizen to improve titanium bezel and the clasp is much better than Seiko's, with ratcheting extension that you did not mention. Much easier and better solution than 6 micro adjustments of Seiko. Citizen is winner in my opinion, but still, Seiko dial and design wins my heart.
Pour moi la citizen est devant: meilleur mouvement, titane, poids très inférieur et j’ai horreur du X seiko… seul avantage, la finition du boitier est plus travaillée chez seiko… enfin prix très avantageux chez citizen…
La Citizen a un bien meilleur rapport qualité/prix. Mais faut aimer son aspect...
Citizen for me
SEIKO...i love sumo and old skx... i own it but now i prefer CITIZEN
That Citizen's clasp is both a microadjustment and diver's extension system in one mechanism. But I prefer the Seiko's dial and hands, Mercedes hands on a modern watch is a bit tacky.
Citizen seems better and it's OTW to my collection!
the male end link of citizen extends too long for small to medium wrist
I have had some.Seikos (turtles,skx's,sumo's etc) nd 90% was the QC not the best. I still love Seiko, but they dissapointed me alloy over the years with the bezel mis-alignment etc. Paying more then a 1000 nd still the QC isnt the best.
I bought 2 Citizens (the one in the video and a diver) and both are in perfect condition. The bezel is perfectly set in the middle!
I had my doubts because of the Mercedes hand, but I know why Citizen did it nd this is a copy of the 1 that has been in the ocean for more then 10yrs. So its not that this a complete new model with Mercedes hands on it.
I think Im starting to love Citizen.
Citizen reference please?
About dimensions how is it if compared to ny0040 ?
Thanks
It is much more compact than the NY0040, night and day difference. Reference is NB6021-68L
@@perpetuality nice to hear it's more compact than ny0040... Thanks :)
This comparison really depends on what one is looking for. For me the Seiko is overall the better watch. The Citizen wins on vph and has a 6 sec accuracy difference, and that's the only win for me.
Titanium vs SS is a wash. Ti is lighter, however SS weight comes with a level of assurance and heft that I like. The bracelet and case finishing is a big win. The brushing, polishing, case design are leagues above the Citizen in every way. The dial is another big win. The dial, the markers and hour hands are again, leagues above the Citizen... at least for me.
The 62Mas inspired Seiko wins big for me... its just the better built and much more visually interesting watch.
All great points I mostly agree with but then the Citizen can be routinely had at a steep discount and undercuts the Seiko by a fair margin. For the right person that may matter a lot. It’s great we have options in my opinion
The bracelet on the Citizen shits on Seiko's though. The clasp especially utterly destroys the trash Seiko clasp. Also the hardend titanium is leagues ahead in terms of scratch resistance.
Seiko❤
I’ve owned both and the Seiko wins out by a long shot. Yes, the Seiko cost more, but it shows.
Agreed!No need to buy overprice swiss watch !!😂😂😂
They could learn a thing or two from Citizen and its far more durable titanium! 😅
I love my Citizens caliber 2100’a as much as my Rolex GMT Master II
5:44 Dude you are not measuring the Citizen's lug to lug properly, you're not even measuring it from the end of the lug. The lug to lug is actually 48.7. So the Seiko has a shorter lug to lug.
This surprised me, it wore larger than an SKX but looked and felt smaller than the SKX (or 5kx if you have one) thanks to the aluminum and lack of crown guard. I still wish they had made the lug to lug 46 or 47, I wouldn't care about losing a mm in case diameter. The lug to lug is about exact for my wrist.
The crown is too small, I think it makes it look delicate. That is a fair gripe. The bezel feels like it's off a Timex explorer, the case is unremarkable fully brushed, and the rotor is loud. But damn it's accurate and a high beat. The 60 click bezel isn't annoying, it's the dull bezel texture, so it being a light action is probably good, very little back play and good alignment.
Citizen could make it basically perfect with some simple revisions. As it is, I still like it, it's a good value.
"They both have flat sapphire crystals": Wrong, the Seiko has a boxed double dome sapphire crystal.
"... but the Seiko only uses pins": Wrong, the Seiko uses pins and collars
Where's the comparison to the Tudor Pelagos? In mean, I love my 63MAS watches (I own both the SPB143 and SPB149), but I would never even try to begin to compare them to the Pelagos. Let alone compare a Citizen to a Tudor. You should call this video "comparing the Citizen and Seiko 1965 inspired watches".