Two Broke Watch Snobs
Citizen Released an Affordable Dive Watch With a Dial Unlike Anything Else
Citizen's new Promaster Dive BN0167-09W features a light-reactive dial that shifts between blue, teal, and purple. Available in the US now.
479 articles · 4 videos found · page 3 of 17
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Citizen's new Promaster Dive BN0167-09W features a light-reactive dial that shifts between blue, teal, and purple. Available in the US now.
Worn & Wound
I wonder how many times the words “It’s an anniversary year for…” have been written on this website? It probably wouldn’t be that hard to figure out, but frankly I have too many articles about anniversaries to write to devote even a small amount of time to this particular task. Case in point, the latest from Citizen, which celebrates not the anniversary of the brand itself, but rather a piece of technology that they have pioneered and has in many ways come to define them for both casual watch consumers and hardcore enthusiasts alike. That’s right folks, Eco-Drive turns 50 this year, and I think you’ll agree that at the half century mark it’s looking as youthful and promising as ever, countering the conventional wisdom and advice from dermatologists everywhere to stay out of the sun. The new watch is called the Photon, and when it hits retailers in the fall it will come in two versions: the BJ6560-53W in silver titanium and the BJ6569-59X in black coated titanium with a gold toned accent on the outside of the case. Both feature the same latticed dial made up of two metal dial plates that allow light to pass through and hit the Eco-Drive sensor. According to Citizen, the design is inspired by the famous “double slit experiment” that proves light can exhibit both wave and particle-like behaviors. I can already imagine 7th grade science teachers removing their watches in class to perform live demonstrations while simultaneously indoctrinating a new genera...
Fratello
Dive watches remain the most democratic category in watchmaking. While certain icons now cost several thousand euros, the truth is that the core DNA of the dive watch, robustness, legibility, and reliability, is still alive and well in far more accessible territory. In fact, €1,000 might just be the sweet spot. At this level, you’ll […] Visit What Are 10 Of The Best Dive Watches Under €1,000? - Featuring Citizen, Seiko, Baltic, Doxa, Certina, And More to read the full article.
Fratello
Last week, I reported on a new high-end Citizen Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary Edition with a beautiful green washi (Japanese paper) dial. In the same week, Citizen also introduced two new watches powered by a brand-new Eco-Drive caliber. The new lightweight Photon models feature state-of-the-art dials that combine an intriguing design with the latest in Citizen’s […] Visit Citizen Introduces Two New Limited-Edition Photon Models That Take Eco-Drive To The Next Level to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The new Citizen Eco-Drive Photon pairs Super Titanium construction with a dial that creates color through light alone.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
I've come close to pulling the trigger on a few of Citizen's higher-end Eco-Drive watches over the years, and each time I talked myself out of it. Not because the watches weren't impressive, but because the right one never quite lined up with the moment. Now, Citizen is making the decision a little harder. The brand has just announced "The Citizen" Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary Edition (ref. AQ4091-56W), marking five decades since it introduced the first solar-powered analogue watch back in 1976.
Fratello
When I read the press information for the Citizen Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary Edition, I couldn’t believe it has been five decades since the Japanese brand introduced its first Eco-Drive-powered watch. That’s especially surprising when I put it into personal perspective, as it happened a year before I was born. In my mind, Eco-Drive technology still […] Visit The Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary Edition Celebrates Citizen’s Quest For Accuracy In Style to read the full article.
Revolution
Hodinkee
With a Super Titanium case and bracelet and an eye-catching dial, Citizen brings a new design and 12-month power reserve to the lineup.
Monochrome
While it was Seiko that first commercialised the quartz watch in 1969 with the legendary Astron, one could argue it was Citizen that took the ball and ran with it. While never abandoning mechanical watches, Citizen invested much of its research and development in quartz and light-powered technology, focusing on both accuracy and efficiency. Back […]
SJX Watches
Citizen invented the first solar-powered analogue watch way back in 1976, and now it’s marking 50 years of its signature timepiece with “The Citizen” Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary. Five decades on Citizen’s solar technology is amongst the most advanced, and the anniversary edition is equipped with a movement that runs within five seconds a year, and will last 18 months on power save mode. But the dial, on the other hand, is traditional Japanese craft: it’s made of washi, a paper that’s dyed by hand, and translucent enough to allow solar charging. Initial thoughts The combination of washi, Super Titanium, and high-end quartz is a familiar one, with Citizen having applied it to past limited editions. Although Citizen is repeating the formula, this remains impressive from both a technology and materials perspective. The ultra-accurate A060 is one of the most sophisticated analogue quartz movements on the market, while Citizen’s proprietary hardened titanium, first polished by hand then hardened, is equally impressive. Tech aside, the anniversary edition stands out for the washi dial that adds a little bit of traditional Japanese craft to all of the cutting-edge tech in the watch. The dial is made of Japanese paper that’s dyed by hand with old school dyes obtained from plants. That said, this anniversary edition is still a relatively niche product for enthusiasts who appreciate high-end quartz technology packaged well. All of that tech and finishing comes at a pri...
Deployant
The Citizen Eco-Drive lineup is extended with another Japanase washi paper dial, now in green. Here is our hands-on review after a few weeks on the wrist.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Thinking about buying a microbrand dive watch in 2026? We break down when they outperform Seiko, Orient, and Citizen, and when they’re just not worth the risk.
Teddy Baldassarre
If you’re even a casual watch fan, you know the name Citizen. They are one of the largest watch producers globally, primarily known for their relatively attainable mechanical and light-powered Eco-Drive watches. However, what is not as often discussed is that Citizen has a wide range of pieces that extend to more luxur
Hodinkee
While it might say "Land," this could be a great, affordable watch for people who spend a lot of time in the air.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Citizen expands the Citizen Series 8 lineup with new NB608 references. Here's what stands out and where the pricing question gets complicated.
Monochrome
One of the major watch brands from Japan, and a proper industrial giant producing millions of movements a year through its Miyota manufacture, Citizen covers everything from entry-level watches to high-end models with impressive attention to detail. In between the highly accessible Tsuyosa collection and the luxury The Citizen collection sits the Series 8, a […]
Fratello
Every year on November 1st and 2nd, Mexico celebrates Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. On that day, Mexican people welcome back the spirits of the departed. This tradition centers around the idea that death is part of life, and as such, you celebrate it with a great, colorful party. To […] Visit IFL Watches Celebrates Día De Los Muertos With The Citizen Tsuyosa Calavera Collection to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Citizen unveils two new Attesa ACT Line watches in Super Titanium with sapphire crystal, radio-controlled Eco-Drive, and a slim 39mm case priced from ~$638.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Citizen Promaster Aqualand 200M Depth Meter is part of a long tradition of dive-watch innovation but is also a model distinct from the rest of its peers. Japan’s Citizen Watch Co. has been making watches for more than 100 years, and started making purpose-built watches or divers in the early 1980s. Since then, Citizen has been expanding the variety of styles, functionalities, and even movement types available in its dive watches, which have become a significant pillar of the brand’s rather large product portfolio. [toc-section heading="A Brief History of Citizen Dive Watches"] The Japanese watchmaker, today renowned for technical innovations like Super Titanium, satellite-controlled timekeeping, and its signature solar-driven Eco-Drive movement technology, was an early contributor to making wristwatches waterproof. It released the Parawater, regarded as the first “water-resistant” Japanese watch, in 1959 - several years before its main Japanese rival, Seiko, released its first dedicated diver’s watch, the . Parawater watches (as above) were waterproof to 50 meters of depth, an impressive feat for the era, and they were the forerunners of Citizen’s contemporary line of dive watches, which began in the 1960s but really kicked into gear with the release of the Promaster Marine in 1982. (Citizen dive watches, despite their diversity, all fall under the “Promaster” category today.) That same year, Citizen released its 1300m Professional Diver’s Watch, ...
Hodinkee
Join Hodinkee and Citizen for an enlightening conversation and exclusive look-ahead.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Citizen’s latest Ana-Digi Temp honors Honda’s new Prelude with panda and blacked-out editions, limited to 200 pieces in Japan.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Undecided between the Mako II and Promaster BN0151? After years of real use, we break down which affordable dive watch is the more sensible long-term pick.
SJX Watches
Citizen, one of the world’ largest watchmakers by numbers, teams up with niche Parisian watch customizer Romaric André for a surprisingly good collaboration with the Citizen Tsuyosa seconde/seconde/. Creative, quirky, and very affordable, the Tsuyosa collaboration depicts the aftermath of the minutes hand slicing through the applied hour markers. And it does it quite well: the artfully positioned hour markers really do look like they have been cut in half. Initial Thoughts Citizen’s latest Tsuyosa is interesting, clever, and affordable. In fact, it is only around US$20 more expensive than the entry level Tsuyosa, making it something of a no-brainer for someone who wants a well-priced watch with a sense of humour. Like Seiko’s “5KX”, the Tsuyosa is an ideal platform for this project, as the model has intrinsic appeal as an integrated bracelet sports-adjacent watch, while also being affordable enough to be an impulse buy based on a cool dial. Nitpickers might point out that a pixellated sword isn’t sharp enough. The pixel art “sword” minute hand may be seconde/seconde/’s best known motif, but it also requires suspension of belief that the hour markers have been cleaved in twain by the minutes hand. Which is unfortunate, as the effect is otherwise so well executed. Of course, without the 8-bit katana it wouldn’t be immediately recognisable as a seconde/seconde/ project, but that is true of many of the best Mr André’s best works, such as the Uncatchable...
Worn & Wound
For years now, Romaric Andre, better known as seconde/seconde/, has been collaborating with watch brands of all kinds on creative limited editions that effectively serve as visual puns. He’s applied his unique sense of humor and aesthetic to watches made by H. Moser, Spinnaker, Maen, and many more brands at every conceivable price point. We talked to him about his process and art here. This is all to say, watch enthusiasts have a pretty good understanding of seconde/seconde/ at this point. That’s a good thing, on one level, as it means his name (or his pseudonym, at least) is out there. But it also makes it harder to surprise, which was so much a part of the charm of those early collaborations. The latest from seconde/seconde/ is about as good a distillation of what he’s all about as I can think of, and represents a real opportunity for enthusiasts who have been waiting for something affordable and representative from the designer to latch onto. The new watch, a collaboration with Citizen, is a limited edition of that brand’s Tsuyosa integrated bracelet sports watch. This is a platform that has proven to be quite popular for Citizen in recent years, offering a way to get into the normally high priced world of integrated bracelet sports watches for a minimal initial investment. I wrote about my own experience with a Tsuyosa here, and stand by my thesis that it’s a great way to get a feel for this type of sports watch. The new limited edition features a sunray bl...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The new Citizen Tsuyosa Shore brings dive watch vibes, 100m water resistance, and pricing to challenge the Seiko 5 Sports models.
Hodinkee
Japanese heritage and a bit of whimsy make up the new affordable collaboration.
Time+Tide
You could say this new collab between Citizen and seconde/seconde/ really cuts through a saturated sea of blue dial watches...The post Citizen enlists seconde/seconde/ to create a Tsuyosa that really cuts through appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Ever since its introduction in 2022, the Citizen Tsuyosa collection has left its mark on the accessible, sporty-chic, automatic watch market. In a nutshell, it is one of the most advisable models for anyone looking for a fairly-priced, stylished and well-built watch. Over the years, we’ve seen several evolutions, with new dial colours, a smaller […]
Fratello
Whenever Citizen announces a new Tsuyosa, I am all ears. The brand’s hit watch has been a fan favorite ever since it debuted in 2022. I have had the pleasure of reviewing multiple Tsuyosa models and was impressed every single time. For its latest release, the Japanese brand collaborated with Romaric André, aka seconde/seconde/, for […] Visit Hands-On With The Citizen × Seconde/Seconde/ Tsuyosa Limited Edition to read the full article.
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