Seiko vs Citizen - Which Attainable Japanese Automatic Diver Is Right For You?
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
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In this video, I compare the legendary Seiko Turtle family of watches to the newer Citizen Fugu Promaster Dive Auto collection from Citizen. I utilize 13 different areas of direct comparison in an attempt to objectively pick the better watch. Which of these attainable Japanese divers is your top pick?
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As a Citizen fan, I'll hold my hands up to bias. Here in the UK, Citizen watches are consistently cheaper than Seiko who have a poor reputation here for QC. One point you don't mention is warranty, Citizen has a 5 year warranty extended to 6 if registered online. That is a lott of peace of mind compared to Seiko's 2 year warranty. Teddy, enjoyable video as usual, Happy Holidays Watch needs!
Same here in Australia too! Citizen is always cheaper & for mine as well, a better watch. QC for Seiko is bloody ordinary at best especially with bezel alignment.
@Andrew D I have 5 Citizens in total. My two Divers, a brilliant BN 0150 and a a BJ7111-51M, the latter was picked up for £250. The spec is incredible, Titanium and GMT too!
I'm a seiko fan but working in a retail jewelry store selling citizen I've grown to really like them. The price is pretty great, u get some amazing complicated watches with the eco drive lines, super versatile, their dress options are super clean and the dials are gorgeous and simple. Gotta say I might look at citizen for my next watch, have a great one!
Curious, what's ur fav citizen? I really like calendrier, the Disney pointer date with a moon phase, alot of the white or champagne dial dress watches and alot of the other world time ones. Theres one with a 3 layer inner bezel, the first layer being a compass or 24 hr time and the third being a 60 min time. Love em
@@steveb4012 I’ve got the BN 0150 as well.👍🏼😎
I was a little ambivalent on the Fugu and thought it was a little too aggresive but a nice lady on a plane complimented me on the Fugu so now the Fugu is my daily.
Great choice
Just ordered
Citizen is and should have been the clear winner. Hands down!
I agree
Heritage... Citizen won my heart over with their Challenge Diver barnacle story (watch found in the ocean, encrusted with overgrown barnacles... still worked. Reissued it too from recollection.)
Have both, wear both, love both. I feel like lately Citizen has been working harder to put more value per dollar into their watches, and are definitely putting more resources into their QC as Seiko has entered a period of laziness almost. Both watches rule though. It’s interesting to hear that lots of real divers, and especially US special operations units, choose not only to wear Citizen but it’s mostly the Eco Drive Promasters. One less thing to go wrong I reckon.
That is the reason I chose a Citizen Pro Diver eco drive. Blue dial and band. Received it for Christmas and hasn’t lost any time. The mineral crystal actually helps read the time under water from my experience and it is a tough watch. The crown at 4 o’clock doesn’t dig into the hand like at 3 o’clock
Citizen Promaster is an amazing lineup.
I scored a brand new Seiko Prospex Special Edition PADI for $49 at Clothing Warehouse. What a great day that was!
I just picked up a Promaster because although I think Seiko makes some great dive watches, that's what everyone seems to be wearing. I'd rather be the odd man out wearing my Citizen with the quirky left side crown.
I'll go with the Citizen here; I just like the look of it better. When I was looking for a dive watch, I went to get a Sieko as that is what you do, but ended up with the Citizen Promaster Aqualand. Great watch and the Eco-Drive is fantastic. But out of these two automatic watches, I just like the Citizen better.
At the same price points, my Citizens are a step above the Seiko's but the Seiko has a crazy strong following. You are buying into a brand with Seiko, you are buying a better watch with Citizen.
Would take the Citizen every day of the week.
Better quality control, less expensive, way better warranty and I actually like the design more.
But ultimately I wouldn't go for either but for a ProMaster with Eco Drive. Keeps time reliably for decades, no fiddling when not having worn it for a few days, really nice and slim and super affordable.
My uncles were avid divers back in their day and they all wore Citizens, so I grew up with them around and they to me just are the quintessential Dive watch.
Little fun anecdote, when getting a tattoo last year I had my ProMaster on and was asked if I dive by another customer in the shop as her dive instructor has the same watch.
I actually do scuba diving, and for me, functionality was top priority. I wanted an automatic, but I ended up with a few things that stuck out to me with the Citizen I bought. I ended up getting the eco drive promaster with the bracelet, which I had to get from Italy because it wasn't sold in the USA, because it was relatively inexpensive for a first nice dice watch, the skx was stupidly overpriced (discontinued), the bracelet had a ratcheting dive extension which I use daily just because my wrists swell sometimes when I exercise and get hot and I don't like a lot of play(plus for diving), and the lume is great. It does fall off kinda fast, but in a dark room in the middle of the night (just as it would be diving deep or in low light) it has just enough brightness that I can tell relative time. Plus I hate the light pip on the seconds hand being reversed to the balance side like on most seiko watches. Like, I get that it's an ocd thing for me, but that is half a minute off in the dark when it doesn't need to be. Like I said, it's my quirk, but I really do hate it. So I went out for an auto and got a solar quartz for function. I still want an auto, but the Fugu has a far inferior bracelet to the solar quartz even though it (used to) cost a lot more. I do like having a nice looking watch, but in the circle of people I am around function matters a bit more than just style, and the Citizen does both. P. S. Seiko 5 "dive style" is a joke and people should boycott that overpriced junk because seiko is ripping people off for less function and they know it. Maybe I'll buy "the barnacle" next.
just wondering, do you dive without a computer, just using a dive watch?
@@pcmountaindog I've never used a wrist mounted dive computer. Not to say I wouldn't, but often times I find myself using company or rental equipment where I get a console computer integrated into the air pressure gage. I've done a lot of hookah diving where you really don't want or need a dive computer, so it's nice to have a plain old watch that can just take the pressure and beating. I am looking into a garmin dive watch/computer in the future.
It was obvious from the outset you were going to choose the Seiko, but as you did note, they are very close in pretty much all categories. Since either will serve well -- arguably equally well -- it comes down to personal preference.
Thank you Teddy for measuring the DIAL! That should be part of EVERY review, not just the case. Addresses legibility. I have and love both of these.
Sometimes it doesn’t deliver the same level of importance as if did here. Goes to show that there is a lot to factor in when we consider size.
I could see this "vs." series becoming a big deal for this channel. Great video! Interested to hear whether the Orient Kamasu would spoil the party here?
The Kamasu isn’t a certified diver so it would be an apples to orange comparison I think. Maybe the Seiko 5 series and the Kamasu would be a better comparison.
Kamasu may not be certified but, for those of us not going into the water, the Kamasu is an absolute winner in many areas. Great watch at that price point!
I want to thank you for a great video comparing these two. I'm a big Citizen fan and both companies offer fantastic diver options. One thing you mention that I think gets overlooked is Citizen lume. I have watches from the late 1990's that still have lume when newer watches have gone dark. Have a great Christmas everyone!
I bought a Seiko Turtle about a year ago. It's rekindled my love of watches. I bought it because I love the heritage of the Captain Willard watch and the Turtle looks pretty damn close to a Willard.
My citizen is 7 years old and has kept nearly perfect time ever since.
7:26 should be enough reason to go with Citizen. My citizen bezels actually line up. (For seiko, you just have to goto the store/AD to check the QC yourself before purcashing)
Fun video! Teddy, consider making this a recurring segment. With that said, I disagree giving Seiko the price category because it’s cheaper for two reasons: 1) the movement in the Citizen is objectively better given the deviation specs, and 2) you’re getting a sapphire crystal on the Citizen. So you’re just getting MORE watch and therefore the price point differs.
Keep up the good work 👍
I stumbled upon this video today and I am so pleased to read all the comments supporting Citizen. They are so good for the value they provide. Also, I am in favour of Ecodrive/Quartz as compared to an automatic. I am going to buy my first Citizen (Super Titanium bracelet) soon. 😊
I rotate between a 41mm DJ with a customized dial i had made and a 1/999 JDM exclusive pepsi fugu. Love both of them, the day date and timing bezel are just handy functions to have wether you dive or not.
Citizen for me! Reliable and can handle the tough life of my diving job.
Recently picked up a Seiko spb317 and I have to say they really knocked it out of the park with that model! Wearability is bang on with nice vintage skin diver looks to boot!
Enjoyed the head-to-head video format. More like it please.
Love them both that said when I passed advanced open water I was gifted a Citizen NY0040 from a gent who was a commercial diver he told me Seikos are pretty but Citizens just work
I have both. It is the best way to enjoy the positive of both brands. I am in the Uk and agree that citizens are usually more affordable and with a greater warranty. I love both
Great video. The fact that Citizen operates most of their watches on Eco-Drive makes it the clear winner for me. There is a very high risk in compromising the waterproof integrity of watch if you change the battery. Also even though there has been massive inflation in the world these past two years, the price of the citizen watch is now between $350 to $450.
I've a citizen eco drive perpetual 8700 nearly 15 years.....Still perfect time keeping and looks fantastic....citizen all day for me although seiko are fantastic value also. Grand seiko= dream watch
If you need a good reliable watch for a purpose, can't go wrong with Citizen
As a former US Navy Diver, Citizen is by far the most popular watch that guys buy themselves. Casio is issued by the units but when guys buy themselves it’s Citizen. My two cents.
That’s worth about 2 million cents. To be honest
The only watch I'd wear is Citizen. Quality, reliable and great design!
I just bought my first dive watch. It was the Seiko 5 Sport or the Citizen Promaster. I went with Citizen. I love the Eco Drive and the watch was significantly thinner. I will however get an aftermarket metal bracelet in the future to have an option to change from the rubber band when I want. I am thinking about picking up the Seiko Turtle, as it is beginning to grow on me and I love the blue/red bezel.
Thanks for these videos. I am new to watches and will never afford a luxury brand, but can see by watching you there are plenty of fantastic options out there for a great price. Looking at the Seiko Presage with the frosted blue face too. So nice. Merry Christmas.
One wonderful thing about this hobby I've discovered is the joy our watches bring to us... Sometimes surprising us too witha little things... 😁
That we can share with fellow watch fam. 😊
Cause... Great watches don't have to come... With even Greater price tags. Enjoy. 😊
I'm loving what Citizen has been doing with their designs and the feel of the watches. Definitely a fan and have been adding Citizen pieces to my rotation
i want to learn how to work on automatics but didn't want to spend a lot to learn. so, about 7 years ago i started looking on Ebey for automatic watches and found 80s Seiko and Citizens for cheap. even today u can get either watch from 80s for 20 to 40 a watch running. even cheaper not running. they are prolly the easiest autos to learn. then u can move up in price and movement complexity. iv mixed and match them missing around. i still can't believe u can go to Ebey and get an 80s Citizen or Seiko auto that looks damn near new for as little as 35 bucks. gold platted even.. lol.. thank u sir for all the time u spend making us these videos.
I've loved Citizen every since I used to look at them in the Jc Penny catalog as a kid in the 1980s
Citizen is a great brand. Have one right now and it's my best watch ever
I'd say get them both you can't loose 👍
I have both watches but if I really had to pick one it would be the citizen it keeps excellent time it's rugged and it looks and feels smaller on my wrist
Teddy is definitely my watch guy, but I always feel the seiko bias. Grand Seiko I get it, and Seikos in the $3,000 up range I get it, but for the buyer who is paying under a grand for their watches I think Seiko is out of their mind with what they’re offering in comparison to some other companies, like Citizen.
Would choose the citizen all day!
I’ve been wearing a Seiko on my wrist, going all the way back to my pre-teen years….love Seiko, but Citizen is really winning my heart over….I now own more Citizen than Seiko…..LOVE my FUGU, even though I’m a big “turtle” fan…..
I would love to see more information out there on Citizen….
Great video! I'd love to see more of these types of videos for sure. I'd personally go with the Citizen, because I simply don't like Turtle cases.
FINALLY. Miyota gets the respect it deserves.
Saw the lume totally different. Also the price in Europe is cheaper for the Citizen. And as for heritage I'd give it to Citizen. Their ny0040 has served in the Italian Navy, and most divers do wear Citizens.
Looking forward to buy my NY0150
even in Thailand too that Citizen is cheaper, I got Promaster Eco Chronograph for 163 Euros, meanwhile Seiko Solar Chronograph.... let's not talk about it LOL
I love this vid of yours, Ted, but really I have to disagree with the price. Citizen, in the same level of watch as Seiko, in Thailand, they are simply 20 - 50% cheaper, although true in some part about heritage for Seiko, but lately I re-discover (in my house) a Citizen 7, a watch from 1980 - 1990 era, second-hand, my mum bought me years ago, and I just compare the precision to my newly bought Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive Chronograph (CA0711-80H) and found that them both has almost no difference in movement quality, even it was second-hand, age difference more than 30 years,
While my newly bought Seiko Prospex Save the Ocean Penguin Edition was too extremely fast and I have to get it to repair.
I would choose citizen with eco drive over automatic. Especially in diver
Why?
I have Bj7111 ecodrive promaster titanium gmt
GO CITIZEN!!!
I didn't have to make a choice between them. I got myself King Samurai, King Turtle, NY0040 full loom with 8204, and NY0040 blue sunburst with 8204. I love both watch companies.
I personally prefer Citizen’s lineup on whole & some of their EcoDrive offerings in particular. Both brands offer great value.
I'll go with Citizen - not as expensive where I'm living but much longer warranty !!!
I clicked on your link to the Seiko, and looking at the PADI model, it first shows it has a sapphire in the overview section but further down under case shows Hardlex. Anyway, I bought the green Citizen Fugu a few weeks ago ($420US if I recall) - after years ignoring Citizen and sticking to Swiss watches…I’m very impressed. The more I look at it and wear it, the more I appreciate it. For the money, I think it offers maybe even better value then my quartz Tissots. The lume is incredible. It lasts through the night and is as bright as my Luminox. I might pick up a Seiko at some point, but I’m really glad I got this Citizen. One thing about the green - it can look black (bezel and dial) if not in real good light. Once in the sun the dial has a real nice green metallic look. I like how it does that, but some may want it to be a “definite” green all the time. Great video.
I would love to see a video series that put together a solid three watch collection from different brands. Perhaps starting at the affordable end with Citizen, Seiko, and Tissot by providing a Sport/Dive, Dress, and Field/Everyday option within each brand.
Think I would have to go with the Citizens. Case, and some details I just find more appealing.
Hi Teddy great content as usual. I am currently looking at these two watches. The first three categories are irrelevant for a dive watch if you plan on diving (snorkeling/swimming) with them. Optionality is nice but if you like the models you don't need 100 variations. Wearability is really specific to each individual. Versatility, again subjective. I am looking for a dive watch not a dress watch. The next 8 categories go to the actual quality of the watch and functional capabilities. Citizens wins those categories 7/4, with QC, Crystal, and movement being key quality factors. Heritage is not meaningless to me but does not impact quality or function. Price is pretty similar, a couple of hundred dollars difference but with sapphire crystal and a better movement it is money well spent. Citizens wins this easily as demonstrated by the higher percentage of actual divers using Citizen dive watches. All that said, you buy what you like and it is a personal choice.
I've had the dark blue manta seiko turtle for a year. The 4R36 is great movement. It hacks and just goes. Put a Nato or a bracelet on and it's a new watch. Put eggs on a boil and set the dive bezel. It's a great everyday watch. King turtle has sapphire crystal.
My first watch is a citizen solar-powered model. 10yrs later still is fine, as compare to my seiko gshock TAG have issues.
Citizen all the way.... i have tons of both but Citizen will always be my favorite
good stuff teddy im a citizen fan but i also have seiko sweet vid keep doing ones like this :)))
I just bought seiko watch today and I've got additional 20% discount.. feeling Happy 😊
I’m just about to relax,have a cup of tea and watch this video.
This better be good 🎉🎉🎉
I'm glad to see Citizen featured here. I recently bought my first Citizen, a Promaster Land Titanium. I liked the photos online, the size was right for my arm, and I thought I'd try an EcoDrive as an alternative to my mostly automatic collection. I was really impressed. It seems nicely finished, the dial is very attractive (blue), sapphire crystal, and to me a great bracelet. I did have to order it from overseas, but it only ran a bit over $400 USD. I still need to have the bracelet adjusted so I've had the box propped up in its case to stay charged. I check daily and it's still in sync with the time on my computer. I'm sure others have, like myself, associated Citizen watches as being inexpensive watches sold in the big box stores, but found that like Seiko, they have a range on watches that top out in the high 4-digit range. All things said, I still think Seiko has the best dial designs across their lines, from Seiko 5 to the Grand Seikos.
I own the discontinued SRP789 coke bezel Turtle. I don't know how I got that lucky, but the bezel has 0 play and aligns perfectly.
I love me some Citizen stuff, but I'm a Seikopath at heart.
Both great watches. I love Citizen, especially their Eco-Drive watches and I own quite a few. The Fugu is excellent but I went for the more retro 70s style of the Turtle (the King Turtle which is a little more money). Good video. I like your comparison videos.
The biggest thing about Loom is that it depends on a. The light exposure of the Loom itself, hence why hands usually glow better because they can be lit from the bottom side with Reflections from the dial, and then also how thick the loom is. The thicker it is the more light it can Emit and for longer. Because by the time it gets down to let's say 10% brightness, there's just physically more light coming out and it might look more like a thinner piece of loom at 50% brightness.
Why not both 😅 Thanks Teddy
So, the Citizen shown here with red bezel is currently $247.50 at Macy's (promo code FRIEND). Unfortunately, it's the only model at this discount. The braceleted models are at 400-sh price level. I also really liked the white dial and the green dial (both black bezels), but they are equally attractive to me to the red bezeled one, so price won the day.
Also, as a comment to Teddy's review, I think Citizen gets the wins more where it matters. Think about it. Better QC, movement, crystal, bezel, and tie on strap and bracelet and finishing... All that vs "versatility" or "heritage"... By the way I would argue that Fugu has plenty of options so it's more of a tie IMHO.
I think, just like Teddy said, this will ultimately come down to looks and price for most people.
Citizen, criminally underrated!
As a Seikoholic I've always given credit to Citizen. I haven't owned any Citizen watches (not yet) but I do have many microbrand watches using Miyota movements.
For a daily piece you can't beat the Eco Drives
Perfect comparison. And I just bought that exact Fugu. Great stuff
One greatest advwntage of the turtle is that has curved edges casing design, thus wont bite your hand if you have to bend your wrists. I have seen people wearing the turtle in the gyms doing intensive pushups with no problem at all. Very comfy to wear.
Teddy please bring back the Watch Anthem, it's epic and people love it.
Do more videos like such amazing stats and true comparison !
Hello Teddy, I really appreciate your posts. I've been hooked since your Vostok video 18 months ago. You do a great service. Thank you. Seasons greetings. Mark.
I'm an authorized dealer for both in georgia and I prefer the seiko samurai over the seiko turtle and the citizen fugu
Hi Teddy, thanks for an excellent comparo. I own both makes, but I do have more Seiko models. Now that you are a Seiko Dealer - you will certainly have many watches to review and compare. Cheers mate.
Judging a watch on Brand Heritage is basically going "this brand made watches in the past, therefore this watch is good".
I'm probably in the minority because it's always talked about but I'd love to see more videos focussed on citizen and seiko especially their less talked about watches as both offer some very unique dials utilizing some great complications (citizen specifically)
They are valuable watches, but when it comes to diver watches, I prefer Casio MDV-107-1A3VEF in (in Turkiye 85 € price ) since I am not obsessed with mechanics. Price, size and reliability come together. Thanks for the video.⌚
Im happy with both brands also have a lot of Adina watches from Australia.
Teddy, very thorough assessment very thought provoking! Thank You!
Seiko, is primarily, a Japanese, multinational, electronics company, not a watchmaker, they just also happen to make watches. I think their main competitor today is not a watchmaker, it's another Japanese multinational, electronics company, Casio. And Casio have definitely parked their tanks on Seiko's lawn!
Could you do a comparison of Seiko Solar vs. Citizen eco drive?
I wish my Omega SMP300 HAD BETTER lune than any of my seikos to include my dreskx that cost me 190$ on sale!
Teddy- I'm new to your videos but I really appreciate them and find them very informative and useful! I'm sure you must receive many requests to cover brands, but I'd love a review of the best pieces from microbrands, like Baltic, Farer, Boldr etc. (I have the Boldr Expedition 1- 2022 release and I'd love to hear your take on the company/watch!!)
I have done quite a bit on Baltic and Farer on the channel. Have yet to inspect boldr to the same degree. I am assuming you have seen our micro videos? We posted a new one last month.
@@TeddyBaldassarre I would love to hear your opinion on Foliot Office GMT.
Citizen has sapphire crystal, Seiko does not. The $50 bucks extra is well worth it. As a practical watch owner, and strangely this key feature and point was not mentioned sways me to want to own the Citizen diver over the Seiko.
Don’t have the turtle, but I have the Seiko 5 diver which is pretty similar. Can’t talk on the Citizen, but I love the Seiko. Great watch
I am surprised to hear the positive on the Fugu bezel. I had a fugu and it was the worst cheapest feeling bezel i ever had. It made me get rid of the watch. Was a few years ago so maybe something changed.
How many years ago and what model did you have? Fugu line was refreshed recently and the easiest way to tell is sapphire crystal vs acrylic.
@@2K9s Not sure the model number but I know the crystal was acrylic.
Very fair review Teddy. Merry Christmas!
I have a Seiko 5 and a Citizen Pro Diver (quartz). I like them both but I give the nod to Seiko.
10:00 In which world does the Citizen Promaster cost 550 Dollars?
Even here in germany where watches usually costs more than in the US the most expensive price I found from standard retailer was 429 euros for the same green style. On other websites even 329.
If we are talking about the NY0100-50XE .
Same for the Seiko SRPE99K1 which costs 350 at standard retail.
that's the problem - the Citizen watch discussed in the video is basically unavailable here in Europe (see the different dial markers, crown and caseback). But even though, the corresponding "non-special" european-available NY0140-88ee on bracelet is roughly 40 EUR cheaper than basic Turtle on rubber.
Totally agree, but take a look at the new Fugu black custom face with yellow chapter ring. I love it but will at some point get the Seiko Turtle as well. I also have the Seiko King Samuri with white face. Would love to have the black face also. Excellent comparison video.
Seiko looks enticing,but the fugu offers better value and durability.
I have to stop watching your reviews as I am finding myself buying too many watches 😂
I don't want to jinx it guys but so far my king turtle is super accurate at maybe loss of 1-2 a day. I leave is crown up overnight and it seems to keep it at about that rate for a week or two. I'm REALLY picky about accuracy (I really should buy quartz more than I do) and often reset my autos every few days but this one I am super impressed with.
Both look like lovely divers btw.
My Turtle's chapter ring is a smidge out, it still bugs me after 5 years. But this watch is great and every time I see mine (never seen anyone else with one), I'm glad that I got the watch I wanted as a kid.
Teddy, a very good if perhaps slightly biased/flawed review, I'm a huge Seiko and Citizen fan, both companies make many great watches. I have SKX's and NY0040's Kinetics and Eco Drives, so I'm not sat totally in either one camp or another, but I think Seiko is better at marketing & promotion than Citizen are, which I feel tips the scales in their direction a bit. Personally I feel that Citizens watches tend to be a bit better engineered, but that's just my feeling rather than something I can put strong data forward to support. Which ever Divers watch you from either of these brands you'll own a really great watch from a 1st class watch company, at an affordable price!
I was not aware of a lot of this information!
Would really love to see a orient kamasu vs Seiko 5!
Thats a great idea!!