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Citizen watches are among the most reliable on the market today. They can be found in watch stores or large department stores alike. Citizen is a brand that goes back a century – that’s a lot of years under its belt for creating trustworthy and dependable timepieces.
They make the perfect watches for affordable to mid-range prices. They have even partnered with the likes of Disney and won awards for their designs. Citizen watches generally feature a wide variety of designs that still fulfill the purpose of keeping accurate time.
If you care about going “green,” you will be pleased to know that Citizen watches now run on light power! Their innovative and one-of-a-kind Eco-Drive technology is responsible for this breakthrough.
Whether you are a die-hard Citizen fan or just perusing articles that can help you find your next wrist accessory, we’re confident that your search ends here. Once you set eyes on our top list, we’re pretty sure you will be eagerly awaiting your next watch to come in the mail.
View The Best Citizen Watches Below
1. Citizen Watches Men’s BM7100-59E Corso Eco Drive
Speaking of Eco-Drive technology, our introduction features this stunning new invention. The exterior isn’t anything to write home about, but that’s the appeal. The classic round design in a silver case is driven by light. There’s no need for a battery and no charging necessary.
The 41mm case is considered quite slender for a man’s wrist, but it will play down your outfit and complement your style. It’s equipped with an anti-reflective sapphire crystal window and powered with precision by a Japanese quartz movement. The stainless steel metal band will not rust or corrode and keeps the watch locked safely on your wrist.
Pros:
+ Runs on Citizen Eco-Drive tech
+ A stainless steel Citizen
+ Sapphire crystal window
+ A simple black dial design
Why We Like It – We love the Eco-Drive technology but, to save us from mentioning it with every option, we’re just going to mention it here once.
2. Citizen Men’s Two-Tone Stainless Steel Chronograph
We said that a Citizen watch can come in many different designs. The next one is a chronograph and a display watch. It includes a stopwatch and comes with an exterior that could rival a Rolex (don’t hate!) The design is round, with a blue dial. The silver stainless strap is decorated with strips of gold to offset the cold color.
For men looking for a smaller watch case, this one measures only 39mm. More affordable watch lines usually go for Japanese quartz for reliable precision and accurate timekeeping. The beautiful chronograph watch is water resistant up to 100m, which makes it a great choice for swimming.
Pros:
+ Chronograph design
+ Stainless steel Citizen watch
+ Japanese quartz movement
+ Six hands in total
Why We Like It – Citizen watches are known for the reliability and precision with their use of Japanese quartz.
3. Citizen Watches BJ7000-52E Eco-Drive Nighthawk
The complicated black display makes this Citizen watch look incredibly high-tech. As another Eco-Drive design, the Japanese quartz movement watch is powered by artificial and natural light. It can’t always be sunny skies (though we wish it could), so this watch needs to have up to 180 days of power reserve.
It notifies you of the low-charge three days before shutting down, which gives you plenty of time to find a light source. The durable and non-reflective mineral crystal surface makes this Eco-Drive stainless steel watch extra strong and robust.
Pros:
+ Stainless steel Citizen watch
+ Citizen Eco-Drive technology
+ Mineral crystal surface
+ 180-day power reserve
Why We Like It – It’s important for an item powered by something as unpredictable as sunlight to have a power reserve and a low-charge notification.
4. Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Watch with Sapphire Crystal
If you are looking for a simpler design that can pass for a dress watch, look no further. Citizen watch Eco-Drive technology can be implemented in many different designs, including this one. Take your pick of three different colors, gold, silver, and silver with rose gold.
The simple black dial features hour markers and a date window at the 3-hour mark. Protected by sapphire crystal, the watch surface is sturdy and not easily scratched. Running on a Japanese quartz movement, this beautiful Eco-Drive watch is water resistant up to 330ft.
Pros:
+ Water resistant up to 330ft
+ Japanese quartz movement
+ Simple hands and dial design
+ Complete with Eco-Drive tech
Why We Like It – This Eco-Drive stainless steel watch comes with a perpetual calendar date window.
5. Citizen Black Ion-Plated Watch
The Black Ion-Plated Citizen Watch features a basic watch face, and three hands, all of which are protected by a mineral surface. This casual stainless steel watch has a perpetual calendar date window that sits on top of the 6-hour marker. It’s simple, which makes it a good choice for an understated dress watch as well.
Running on Japanese quartz movement and also solar power, this black Citizen watch also has a feature to prevent it from overcharging. It’s also water resistant up to 50m, which means you never have to take it off every time you wash your hands.
Pros:
+ Simple and elegant black design
+ Precise time with Japanese quartz
+ Water resistant
+ Prevents overcharging
Why We Like It – The overcharging prevention feature is handy for solar charging. We also love the fact that this watch is water resistant – you can tell the time in the water.
6. Citizen Watches Men’s BM8180-03E
We have our first Eco-Drive option without a stainless steel strap. This Citizen watch runs on natural or indoor lighting and comes with a canvas strap with inner lining for those who like more flexibility and breathability. It has a perpetual calendar day date feature that will always keep you in the know and on schedule.
The luminous hands glow in the dark so you can tell the time even in poor lighting. Even with a softer canvas band, the watch is still very durable, as the watch case is made from brushed stainless steel.
Pros:
+ Eco-Drive tech with canvas strap
+ Luminous hands
+ Day date window
+ Water resistant
Why We Like It – This Citizen watch offers a more comfortable fit. You won’t have to wince at the feel of cold metal on your wrist in the mornings with this canvas strap. Not to mention, we love the luminous hands, which help us to tell time even in the dark.
7. Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Promaster Diver Watch
Citizen Promaster Diver watches are one of their best-selling designs for telling time. Complete with Citizen Eco-Drive tech, your watch will never need a battery. It’s great for a professional diver; this watch can take water pressure up to 660 ft!
The stainless steel bezel and case are secured in place by a plastic band. Plastic bands are soft, flexible, and sweat resistant. This is what makes this Eco-Drive Promaster Citizen watch such a great sports watch.
Pros:
+ Citizen Eco-Drive technology
+ Black plastic band
+ Stainless steel case
+ Water resistant
Why We Like It – It comes with phosphorescent dials, which makes it easy to tell the time at night or deep in the water.
8. Citizen Women’s Drive Stainless Steel Quartz
We can’t forget about the ladies, so we have decided to throw one in for women on our list of the best eight. Also complete with Citizen Eco-Drive, you get a citizen watch that runs all on its own. It comes in a unique blend of colors. The black and grey checked dial is paired with a pink band for a feminine touch.
The leather strap defines this watch as a potential dress watch and improves durability, along with the stainless steel watch case. Measuring at 36mm with a mineral crystal surface, it’s a suitable accessory for more rigorous activities or just a day at work.
Pros:
+ Leather strap option
+ Eco-Drive Citizen watch
+ Accurate time with Japanese quartz
+ The stainless steel citizen watch case
Why We Like It – We like the unique colors and also because it’s a great choice for ladies at the office or on a day out.
Citizen Watch Buyer’s Guide
So you’re convinced that the Citizen brand is the way to go, but how do you find the best one? Other than design and the revered and novel Eco-Drive tech, what else is there to look for? Even if you aren’t sold on any of the designs, we do suggest certain indisposable features to look for.
Durability (Eco-Drive Titanium)
Stainless steel is great and all, but take a step up and go for titanium if durability is important. Not only is titanium super strong, but it’s also very lightweight. A lot of chronograph watches from Citizen come in titanium.
Go hard at it (but don’t deliberately abuse it), and the titanium watch will prove sturdy and won’t crack. Eco-Drive titanium watches are quite comfortable, despite what you may think. Titanium chain links are lightweight and are protected from corrosion.
A lot of Citizen watches are stainless steel, and that’s also a great choice. Not only are they rust and corrosion-proof, but moisture also won’t affect it. It’s also a tough metal. For those that are extra sensitive, stainless steel is also a good Citizen watch case and band option because it’s anti-allergic. Stainless steel is among the most common materials, so it comes at an affordable price.
You can also find a leather strap and plastic band on Citizen watches. A leather strap gives elegance and formality, while plastic provides heightened durability and comfort. Depending on your personal preference, either one can be worn on the daily.
Then there’s the canvas or nylon strap. We don’t recommend this strap for those who wear the watch for sports, or who are looking to swim with it. The strap soaks up water and, if not dried well, can lead to rashes and discomfort.
Most watches nowadays possess mineral crystal or sapphire crystal watch surfaces that are anti-reflective and scratch-resistant. This puts it high above acrylic glass that can easily shatter.
Design
What kind of watch do you want? A Citizen watch can come in elegant and downplayed dress watches to the following collections:
Promaster Divers – These are made for adventurers, world travelers, and watch lovers. They provide the functionality needed on the sea, in the air, or on land.
Satellite Wave – These come with GPS navigation.
Blue Angels – These watches can consist of watches from any collection, just with a blue dial.
Atomic Timekeeping – Synchronized with an atomic clock, these watches take precision to a whole new level.
Diamond – They are what they sound like, watches with diamond decoration and accents for supreme sophistication.
Super Titanium – Made with titanium and, like many in the Eco-Drive titanium line, these watches are known to be sturdy and lightweight.
Weekender – The Weekenders come with leather straps and are the more casual line of Citizen watch.
Silhouette Crystal – Partnered with Swarovski, your watch will be accented with stones more affordable than diamonds.
These collections are just naming a few. There are limited edition ones and even watches for Avengers lovers. Working out what you need is the most important thing to find the Citizen watch that’s best for you.
Movement
An automatic and mechanical movement is found in luxury watches, but for more affordable brands such as Citizen, they are mostly powered by a Japanese quartz movement. This is because quartz movement is generally less expensive, reliable, and easy to maintain. When it comes to watches, Citizen uses mechanical movement widely and pairs it with Eco-Drive technology. You can imagine the strides these watches can make.
Citizen Eco-Drive Watch
Now that such technology exists, we are hard advocators of the Eco-Drive. It eliminates the need for batteries and recharging. When crafting a watch, Citizen creates a dial that absorbs artificial or natural light. The embedded solar cell will convert the light into energy. An impressive Citizen watch is the Eco-Drive Nighthawk, which not only stores energy but also alerts you when power is running low.
Strap/Band
You can choose between titanium, stainless steel, leather, canvas, and the list goes on. The style can be a bracelet strap or a sporty plastic band. If you can’t decide on the material, then finding a watch case that can have interchangeable bands is the best solution. If this sounds like you, then it’s probably not best to go for a stainless steel citizen watch strap.
Watch Surface
The Citizen watch case would ideally be titanium or stainless steel. As for the surface, plexiglass, mineral, or sapphire crystal is the most common. We believe the mineral options are the best choice. They also rank in that order. Plexiglass is found in lower-end brands, mineral is for standard entry-level watches, while sapphire is found in higher-end and more expensive options. To ensure your watch surface is safe from most forms of impact, go for a sapphire surface.
Functions
Your watch is like a little helper. It informs you of things such as the day and date with a perpetual calendar, or time zones. Chronograph watches can sometimes tell you time zones, and Citizen makes plenty of this kind of watch. Another best feature is a water resistant watch. Some people are so focused on what the watch can do, they forget about what watch can resist. Look for anything that goes beyond 100ft.
We would also suggest going for the 3-hand display (more for chronographs). Having a minute, second, and hour hand will best help you keep track of time. We are also huge fans of the power reserve feature. Day and date, along with an alarm, are basics, but if you care about GPS, chronograph, or other more advanced functions, then do some research. Decide what you need in order to find the best choice.
Is Citizen a Good Brand of Watch?
The simple answer is: no. This is because we believe the brand to exceed “good,” landing itself in the “amazing” category! While it isn’t a luxury Swiss-made watch, this Japanese brand is known for producing reliable and sturdy watches that will last many years to come. Now with the addition of their Eco-Drive, this technology catapults Citizen up into the “best affordable watch” list.
A lot of consumers tend to compare Citizen with the Seiko brand, asking which is better. So to answer this question, it comes down to one key difference. Seiko watches are automatic, while Citizen is powered by Japanese quartz. This means Citizen is more accurate and reliable, while Seiko watches are a more traditional and intricate timepiece.
What is the Best Solar Powered Watch?
Well, any watch with Citizen Eco-Drive isn’t bad at all! The Citizen Promaster Divers are pretty amazing, but if you are looking for other brands, Seiko, Tissot, and Casio also produce solar-powered watches.
What are the Best Citizen Watches?
Among the best rated are the Promaster Divers, titanium options, the Nighthawk, chronographs, and any other watch with Eco-Drive.
Conclusion
Japanese watch brands are mostly known for reliability, much like their cars. They are classic, timeless, and never go out of style. Plus, they are continuously improving (hence the new innovative technology that we keep raving about) and keep you on schedule. They have been around for a century, and that isn’t without good reason. Now with this new revolutionary Eco-Drive technology, they also drive themselves to the top of the must-buy watch list.
Did You Know?
All of Citizen’s products are manufactured in-house. Absolutely no out-sourcing occurs. Only Campagnola watches have a component that is manufactured out of Switzerland but in a Japanese owned company.
Expert Tip
They usually use an automated assembly line (which delivered a blow to the Swiss watchmaking industry), but the higher end watches are assembled by hand.
