Thoughts on the Citizen Eco Drive?

[cartisdm]

Right now I just have a Seiko steel band watch. No complaints, it's pretty sharp looking, but days where I'm a little more dressed up I'd like to have a black leather banded watched with a nice level of class (for my price range).

What do you all think of the Citizen BM8240-03E? My price range is somewhere between $100-200, the latter would require me to wait just a bit longer before a purchase.

 

[alexanduh]

go for it

 

[cartisdm]

Anyone have any experience with the quality of Citizen watches in this price tier? Also, would it be worth getting an extra brown band? I've never had a non-steel banded watch so I don't really know how hard it is to switch them out for matching purposes...

 

[SirGrotius]

Among enthusiasts Citizen watches are known as something of a joke. Check out the poor man's watch thread for advice. Seiko's the best bet for the lower price ranges.

 

[ter1413]

Originally Posted by alexanduh

go for it

+1

 

[cartisdm]

Originally Posted by SirGrotius

Among enthusiasts Citizen watches are known as something of a joke. Check out the poor man's watch thread for advice. Seiko's the best bet for the lower price ranges.

My knowledge of quality watches is slim to none. I know with my price range I can't expect to get much as far as high-end is concerned, but I would like to have a brand that could at least turn a few heads for folks "in the know."

This Citizen pretty much has the exact look I'm going for, but if I could find a better brand name I may opt for that instead (I'll check out some Seikos too). I'm very open to ideas as nothing is set in stone just yet so that Poor Man's thread may be my ticket

 

[JRB]

I almost purchased that exact watch myself. I ended up opting for a Stuhrling because I got a better deal and the one I picked out matched my skinny wrists better.

Around here, Sears carries that Citizen watch. You can go in there to try it on. I really liked it, would've sprung for it had I not found the other one.

 

[Quadcammer]

Originally Posted by SirGrotius

Among enthusiasts Citizen watches are known as something of a joke. Check out the poor man's watch thread for advice. Seiko's the best bet for the lower price ranges.

not really.

No, they are not "high end". They are nice looking reliable japanese affordable watches. But the eco-drive feature is nice, and they hold up quite well.

They do tend to get scratches on the mineral crystals though.

If you like it and its the most you want to pay, then get it. The design is fine although not very interesting.

 

[Edgar Allan Pwn]

No complaints with my Citizen, except that it doesn't have a seconds hand, which makes it a bit hard to get juuuuust right. But it seems to keep reasonable time and looks good. I think it looks a lot cleaner than the model you linked. But there may be a bit of owner bias on that one.

http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-AU1035...325913&sr=1-13

 

[acridsheep]

Originally Posted by SirGrotius

Among enthusiasts Citizen watches are known as something of a joke. Check out the poor man's watch thread for advice. Seiko's the best bet for the lower price ranges.

I guess I am an "enthusiast" but this is news to me. I like the Ecodrive, and I particularly like the Nighthawk.

 

[cartisdm]

Originally Posted by Edgar Allan Pwn

No complaints with my Citizen, except that it doesn't have a seconds hand, which makes it a bit hard to get juuuuust right. But it seems to keep reasonable time and looks good. I think it looks a lot cleaner than the model you linked. But there may be a bit of owner bias on that one.

I like that one as well, you're right about it being "cleaner". How about this Bulova?

http://www.amazon.com/Bulova-96B104-...s_watch_map_18

 

[AAP]

If it's between a Citizen EcoDrive or a Seiko Kinetic, I'd go for the EcoDrive. They are extremely accurate, come in a ton of different styles (the model you posted is very nice) and seem to last. The model I have (Largo) has a perpetual calendar and accounts for leap years. I barely wear it any more, but a few hours of sunlight every few months keeps it running like a top. I have a Seiko Kinetic that also barely sees any wear, but the problem with these is that you can't manually wind them like you would a mechanical watch out of power reserve. So, you are stuck swirling it around in the air for 20 minutes before you even put it on. Not very practical for an infrequently worn watch. If you are comparing Eco Drive to Seiko quartz, then the comparison becomes a bit muddled. Whatever you get, make sure that it does not have an integrated bracelet or non-standard strap attachment. This will give you the most flexibility. Happy hunting! P.S: I own an Omega, am an enthusiast, and I don't think of Citizen as any kind of joke.

 

[in stitches]

Originally Posted by SirGrotius

Among enthusiasts Citizen watches are known as something of a joke.

=watch brand whores

while i cant deny i am one of the above. i sold watches for about 4 years in a small jewelry store, the ecodrive is a fine watch for someone on a budget or who simply has no interest in dropping mad money on a watch. enjoy it, ignore the ho's

 

[cartisdm]

Thanks everyone for all the great responses!! I was worried I was going to get flooded with "that's a piece of crap, save more money and by [insert expensive brand here]!"

I will take all your advice and do some more shopping, this time with some knowledge under my belt.

 

[Quadcammer]

Originally Posted by cartisdm

Thanks everyone for all the great responses!! I was worried I was going to get flooded with "that's a piece of crap, save more money and by [insert expensive brand here]!"

I will take all your advice and do some more shopping, this time with some knowledge under my belt.

definitely go with a citizen over a bulova...now they are kind of a joke