Miyota 8000series is the beast of all automatic movements. Extreme shock proof. Adjustable within +/-2s with a toothpick and you can service it yourself. Doesnt hack and unidirectional winding make it indestructible running time of 20+ years.The more you get deeper into mechanical watches and service costs/ longevity issues , the more you appreciate miyota 8000 series movement. Laco,stower used them in fligers due to said properties plus thin profile .
Some people just hate the noise and wobble. I like both. Several times during the day being reminded that I have a mechanical device on my wrist. Whir-whir-whir---zzip!
Might be a me thing, but if I had the cash for a Stowa flieger I’m going for the UNITAS 6498 hand wind movement. Have nothing against automatics, but I love seeing a good hand wind movement dance.
@@benburgess9428 ever tried servicing a swiss movement? Yes they are "beautifully decorated and eye pleasing" . Parts are not so pocket friendly nor their durability. BMW vs Corolla would be a good metaphor.
@@kalarPhaYar In the role I would use it for, I'm totally ok with that. I have a Legion of quartz pieces I wear and one hand wind that I occasionally fire up to be mesmerized by the dancing springs & gears. In that role, I'd wear the Stowa maybe once a month for a single day or maybe even as little as a single hour. In that role, I don't see servicing being all that frequent.
I honestly can't believe you gave the seiko the same points for case/build quality as the orient star. The rehout is misaligned in the seiko. The crown is unsigned.
I dunno, I think the Seiko’s crown with chamfer and no signing is nice. Just adding a signed logo doesn’t always make every watch better. It’s a case by case thing.
Alright that's valid for the bezel but clearly Seiko crown was a design choice by them, even the high end LX series don't have them but low end 300 bucks Presage series have them so clearly it's a design choice with them
@@__silver__ I got me first seiko from Japan and was worried about the bezel not being aligned but thankfully it’s actually really good very very slightly to far from the mark
Seiko winning a bracelet contest is like a Pagani winning an originality contest. VERY nice watch. But that caught me off guard. I’m surprised the Orient Star didn’t have a better bracelet and clasp.
@@Yoshi-zt5df Someone obviously never saw/touched a halfway decent bracelet. They are terrible, even the bracelets on Grand Seikos are worse than most bracelets on $500 watches.
I think that adding a double weighted section for comfort would be beneficial. A watch could have the best specs but, if it's uncomfortable it's useless.
I believe that the Orient features a fully decorated movement. Modern Orient Star watches feature pearlage on all the bridges and Geneva stripes on the rotor. It is a much better-looking movement than on standard Orient watches. Not that you'd know because of the solid case back. But if you are putting so much importance on the movement, then there should be an even bigger difference in score between the Orient and the Seiko and Citizen.
Can’t beat my Promaster Diver NY0040. Tough, accurate and with real military heritage. Quality on par with Seiko. In some ways better re alignments etc. it’s been an amazing watch to own.
I feel exactly the same way about my Vostok 420. Notting beats a simple and rugged beater watch. Obviously the bi-directional, friction fitted bezel is not ideal for diving but not a problem for me as I only wear it as a quitky and interesting beater.
@@KTList Apparently the Vostok bezel actually locks in place under pressure. As the acrylic crystal flattens it pressure fits the bezel. I've never dived, only snorkeled so I can't test mine.
I prefer the SKX on a jubilee, but I also have the old Promaster but the pepsi variant NY0086, there is something very cool about the older Promaster. It ain't a flash watch, but its a cool unique design.
@@edwardfletcher7790 It doesn't lock under pressure Edward, at least down to 100m it doesn't! Well, mine doesn't!However the acrylic crystal actually compresses against the case and increases the water resistance as you go down. I've used quite a few divers as backups, Seiko, Orient and Vostok, though sadly not Citizen but I hope to rectify that this year!
@@garyk8285 I have an SKX009 with lovely faded bezel. Love it but no where near as accurate as my Citizen Promaster. The Citizen is an honest workhorse. That said, my transitional Seiko 7002 7000 150m diver is battle worn with a lot of wabi but surprisingly dead on accurate. Great movement.
One additional thing to note is that Orient have prevented any 3rd party watch repair shop from getting access to their parts, so the Orient is how harder, and more expense, to fix.
If the Citizen had a 9000 series movement it would be right up there, like the utilitarian look, the Orient Star I think is the best of the bunch, depending on the colorway. When it comes down to it, the movement kills it. Both the Seiko and Orient can be upgraded by Strapcode for a far superior bracelet and can be usually found for under $100.
Really enjoyed this. I'm not sure its comparing like for like though. The Fugu has this added clout because it's limited edition and JDM, but it's an entry level offering from Citizen; you can pick up basically the same watch, minus the blowfish etching and with different indices, for £150 on Amazon. A fairer comparison would be between it and a Seiko Sports 5 and a Orient Mako II. Or between a Samurai, an Orient Star and a Citizen NB6004 (which is at least closer in retail price to the others). But anyway, I love all these watches; you could happily have them all and not need to choose between them! Hope you're having a lovely Christmas and the New Year continues great things for the channel.
Great video. Enjoyed this format. I have Seiko divers and the Orient Star diver. Love both. Definitely think the Orient Star wins on originality. The Seiko dials are something special though, especially their Save The Ocean range.
I have a fairly customized samurai and I don't like the waffle dial in black so that would be a no for me. I love the green and gold combo and the power meter on the Orient I'd get that one for sure. If it had a knurled bezel with a ceramic insert instead of the coin edge it would be an instabuy for me.
I disagree with you on the movement score. The 4R35 is no better than the 8204. The bidirectional rotor doesn't make any real life difference, it has a slightly shorter power reserve than the 8204 and I would say is less accurate than the 8204.
These brands can fight for sure, BUT I think you let the wrong watch from Citizen in the ring. You should take the NY0141-10LE for example. Hacks and winds also with sapphire. But its much more prominent, if you go by the looks. The Lume is untouchable, and if you put it on a timegrapher should be the best. There is also a diver with mercedes hands, ok with mineral, but the bracelet is a banger. Maybe next time we can see something different at the end, another winner. I like your videos much, keep it up. Cant wait for 2022!!!
@@JustOneMoreWatch you could have that factor into brand then. Something like: seiko gets a 9 for being a seiko but - 2 for poor qc or something like that
I've become a bit of an Orient fan and I am really surprised they are not putting a milled clasp on that watch because it's their Star brand, it's supposed to all be high quality and how much is it exactly to put a milled clasp on? It can't be breaking the bank surely. It kind of feels like they were doing everything to get the price under $500 to get people onto the Orient Star train. Isn't it the minute hand on the Samurai that looks most like a sword anyway?
Jody I have 5 different Citizen divers from their basic all the way up to depth gauge, ascent alarm and a helium release valve. I love them all and never had an issue.
I have a blue Fugu and an Orient M-Force red dial. M-Force is better built for double the price. But the Fugu is absolutely VFM and has a unique bezel form and crown location which I find very practical in everyday use.
I would never get an auto Citizen diver. I'd grab something like an eco-drive Promaster GMT. Around black Friday they we're in the $200 range. You could wear it every day for 20 years and never have it serviced once and it would be still working.
Totally agree, Citizen does well with their Eco dive. Reliable keeps time well, and charges fast under normal lighting. They have numerous colorways so there is something for all, and it won't break the bank. In the 90's I did have co workers who did diving before computers became the norm. All of them used Citizens, most had two, one to wear and one to send off to Citizen for pressure testing or if normal quartz battery change. Don't know of the cost but was probably reasonable since none of them complained..
Hi Jody, you should have bought the Titanium Promaster in green. Here in Europe it costs € 300 while the King Samurai and the Orient are between 450 € - 550 €. The Citizen NY0100-50XE has a full titanium Case, bracelet and clasp. It would have won the Case, Bracelet+Clasp section by far! You should take a look at it!
Most watches have a single-click mechanism in the bezel. The Orient has a double one, that's why the click feels lighter, double and kinda odd. It's just different, not per se worse or better.
Nice head to head to head and agree the Seiko wins. The best kept secret for value and for in my opinion the best looking seiko would be the Baby Tuna SRPF81K1
Challenge Jody - take all 3 under water for a diver shoot-out. Bezel action/grip with cold wet hands. Fitment from wrist to over-suit. Visibility under water. Etc.
Excellent battle review. I want to like the Citizen but I have to say the Seiko deserves the win here, it's simply the best package out of the three and the best designed watch.
Hey Jody. Love these comparison videos. Keep’m coming. Many thanks once again. Spectacular job. Much subjectivity but your graciousness makes it all work. Merci! Merci!
Very good review. Can not disagree with any of your scores given your reasoning. I love Citizen watches and thought it would score higher but think your judgment was spot on 👍
Wish every mechanical watch had a power reserve indicator I think that’s the most important feature, and that’s why I would take that orient I don’t care about bezel action as long as it turns.
Excellent scoring and assessment. Wishing you a good 2022 Jody - Happy Hogmanay - Och Aye The Noo and Haggis Day coming up Jan 25 Burn's night! - Not bad for a former Englishman living in The Pacific NW in USA for the last 22 years!
Ahh, finally! The long awaited Japanese diver deathmatch :) Thanks Jody! And hey, what a conclusion! There's been a lot of moaning about Seiko lately, especially saying the price-quality ratio isn't there. But here they are winning a round up, and one that's price adjusted as well. I have some love for Citizen and Orient, too: With Citizen there's often a few choice picks in the range that really feel above the rest of their offerings. There's the solar promaster diver that you reviewed, which has that excellent lume wars proven lume, and that eco-drive convenience, accuracy and reliability, all for much less than the Fugu. The Promaster Tough offers a fairly rare monobody construction that feels like it'll outlast anything else I have. And then there are some quirky limited editions, too, like the Star Wars and Avengers watches, and some interesting looking ultra thin eco-drive watches. Then you have the very high accuracy pieces that are also interesting. Orient on the other hand has a couple interesting areas of expertise as well. First there are the affordable automatic divers such as the Kamasu. It too offers very good lume and a sapphire crystal but at half the price of the Orient Star Diver. It is a little bit sparser in the design department though. But the really interesting end of the range, I find, are the rather quirky dress and retro models. If you're into weird watches but don't want to go Vostok, Orient's got you. 1) Manual calendar that looks like a roulette wheel on your dial? Orient's got you. 2) Roman numerals and a moon phase -looking AM/PM indicator? Orient's got you. 3) Open heart + camera aperture blade -style dial with SLR camera bayonette style cutout + rotating bezel with camera aperture style markings + crown and crown guard that looks like a film camera winding lever + case back that looks like a camera viewfinder? Orient. has. got. you. It would be interesting to see further head to heads between the big Japanese brands with different categories such as 1) Modern everyday or dress, or 2) Affordable retro weirdness, and so on.
Of you have some pym particles to shrink these down to a size I would actually want to wear, I might consider one of these. 🙃😂 I'll still watch it through though, because i find your videos fresh and entertaining!
I agree. The King Samurai is worth the price over the non-samurai. I have the white dial King Samurai and I wear it on a perlon and it does just about everything. Bracelets at this price point leave a lot to be desired.
Not mad at this result Jody...being that I was modeling my king sammy whilst I was watching the review(isn't it a good feeling when you see your own watch I the TV!).I would add though mate, that one small factor that helped me decide on the seiko was as a base chassis its mod capability is near infinite.all I've done is whack the strapcode hex head on there and it just escalates the feel of the watch so much that it really is all the watch you could ever need.(I also have a non king turtle,early save the ocean, and i do agree the turtle is definitely a more accomplished dive watch. Maximum respect as always mate!
I did the same with my King Samurai and the heavier bracelet balanced the watch head and made it a much better feeling on the wrist. I saw Jody' review of the King week and he didn't rate it nearly so high as this review, I'm hoping that design grows on him because I think- dollar for dollar- the King Samurai is the best watch on sale right now.
Great video and fun to watch as usual. Thanks Jodi. Just one detail... on the lume shot the Orient doesn't look to be very aligned between the 12 and the pip on the bezel. Or am I wrong? Pity that the Seiko has no logo on the crown. Nice watch for the rest.
In addition to the SEIKO turtle you've given me another consideration with the king samurai, as I'm looking to go further up the latter in a dive watch without breaking the bank.
Hey Jodi, love this comparison videos. This japanese divers death match really caught me from begining to end! I personally own an Orient Star Diver and it is one of my favorite watches among my collection. It also proved to be very tough! I took it to a trekking expedition over the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina, it slipped from my hands (i was doing photos... bad idea!) to an ice pit where it remained for 40 minutes until we were able to take it out with a chainsaw and an ice pick! And guess what? It came out looking impeccable and working just fine! I did a video about this on my channel cause, if that's not a watch adventure story, then man, i just don't know what it is! haha Great watch content as always Jodi! Really appreciate what you do. My best wishes from Argentina!
I think for around $50 ish dollars more the orient star open heart diver is a nicer watch not only does it have the cool looking dial showing the balance wheel but it also has a nice fully milled clasp unlike this stamped crap can’t believe they put that on an orient star. It’s also has a nice exhibition case back and a pretty nicely finished movement ive seen them for under $500 I’d like to see you do a review on that. I’m currently seriously considering their avant grade skeleton as my next pick up one of the few I can find with a screw down crown those can be had very cheap as well for a stunning looking watch. I think citizens bread and butter is obviously eco drive but they are the the undisputed king of the entry level dive watches under $300 for why you get milled clasp and ratcheting dive extension the QC fit and finish is something you need to spend upwards of $1000 to get in a Seiko. Seiko has gone up class orient has replaced Seiko as what they used to be in that more affordable category similar to what Tudor has become to Rolex.
Orient is by far my favourite brand. Seiko quality control has dropped as the price has increased. I love citizen aswell but they seem more obsessed with their quartz movements unlike Orient who seem to have the best automatic/mechanical choices, quality control and pricing.
I know its anecdotal but ive bought 4 seiko's and my experience with them is horrible, and i bought 2 Orients and they were both fantastic. Never buying a Seiko again, too many QC issues for me. But i might just be unlucky.
I would opt-in for orient star. For me it offers more vs seiko: better movement, more unique design, higher level finishing. Of course if reflects back on the price tag.
If I had my choice of the three, I would go for the Orient Star. I think it's the nicest looking of the three with a solid movement. The Samurai is a bit ho hum for me 😊❤
Great video! Been looking forward to it. Have used both Seiko and Orient diving......and a Vostok, though unfortunately never tried a Citizen. I hope to get one this year and give it a try! Disappointed with the Orient bezel action particularly as my old Mako XL has the best bezel action of all my divers.
Great review. I really like the way you compared them. And I agree with you. My problems with these 3 watches (1) too big & (2) lack of non-date version
I'd pay a little bit extra and get the Seiko Sumo Pepsi, the better watch of the lot, for around AU675 if possible or better. Don't be put off by the dimensions, its really 41.5mm-42mm bezel tip to bezel tip, and wears more like a 42mm. Fine for wrists above 6.75inches.
@@JustOneMoreWatch I think if they make a Pepsi variant on the version that you have (SPB185) I might upgrade to that. When you're in the Seiko store next, go check the new Seiko Sumo Pepsi with the black dial, makes it look a tad smaller. But you have to wear it for at least 15mins, it's sort of one of those watches that's a slow burn love haha
King for the win! 👑 I’ve got a lovely blue save-the-oceans regular samurai which is one of my all time favorites, but looking at your early review of the King and this matchup, I’ll be looking at one of those Kings for sure! Got my eye out for one of those white-waffle dials with black ceramic bezel. Total killer look! 🤩 Thanks for the review Jody!
The seiko samurai im indeed sure is a very good reliable watch. Ive never held one in the metal. But i can attest for sure an say the orient star is the clear winner out of these 3 for the line up. I own the oreint star. "Pepsi Bezel".. The only weakness is the bezel action. Orient kinda screwed up somehow with this model with the bezel. But my bezel is pretty good. This star is a 3,000 watch. One of orients best watches they have EVER made!. The bracelet is fine. It is solid an sturdy. Well built. Solid end caps. Comfortable. Excellent lume... Beautiful perfect dial. I absolutely adore an love this orient star watch. Wear it 24/8. I have no desire to buy another watch. I own one other watch. A dress watch. I use to wear that watch everyday. Loved it.. Still do.. But since my star diver.. Well... It has been sitting in its original box.
Love your vids, so keep them up. I would like to politely disagree with your rating of the Citizen. If it is 3rd, that is fine, but I think you gave it a rough ride and it is not that far behind the others. I own all 3 and enjoy them all. Honestly though, I get many more compliments on the Citizen. Although I own the Fubu with red bezel and white dial. It is striking. Mvmt is a little behind the times. I wish it was hacking, but it keeps good time for me. Its proportions are very well done and it feels solid. As for the bracelet, you are right, stamped clasp and no extension (same bracelet that comes on most of the Citizen Skyhawks). Here is my question though, how many actually dive with these? I am a diver myself and have many tool divers I use while diving, but not this one. It is "dive style" and I think is meant more for the cosmetic appearence. Not to say it couldn't pull it off, but not really what it is meant for. A Citizen Aqualand is a better tool diver option (buy the right watch for the purpose). I normally wear my G Shock Froggy diving. I have a Rolex Sub and would never wear it diving. Same thing. Dive style, but ain''t no way I am banging a $15,000 watch off a coral reef or rock. Anyway, keep up the good work.
I'm not generally an Orient fan but I must say that this OS diver dial and hands just looks classier than either the Seiko or the Citizen. I also like the matte finish on the case, bracelet and insert as I believe polishing on a dive watch is a mistake. Aluminum inserts are easily replaced and a few knocks over the years give it some character. Finally the movement on the OS is a higher grade. The lume is best. None of the watches should have date complications and the power complication on the Orient is stupid. Divers don't need either. Other than price I think the Orient is the best.
So if the movement is going back and forth back and forth versus the citizen movement going in One direction it would almost make sense why citizen wouldn't change that movement... Because back and forth causes friction which will cause the parts to wear out quicker..... And a smooth movement just going in One direction would seem like it would last a lot longer as it's kind of going with the flow
Abit to brief or a review Jody. We need to dive deeper lol. Have you ever tried to put that endlink back on a samurai, even with the drilled lugs. Nightmare
Interesting that the Orient didn’t do so well in the bezel and bracelet scoring. I have several Orients, including a Ray II Raven with a perfect bezel and fantastic looking two-finish bracelet. Oh and for the win, you had me cracking me up with “Citizen, you own Miyota.”- just hilarious. Anyway, fun episode and great to see you continuing to give Orient more attention. A great value brand, for sure.
Great video Jody! The Citizen was my sentimental underdog favorite going in. On the other hand (heh heh), I'm glad to be saving money, as now I am much less likely to purchase one. I will still buck the trend and stick with my regular Samurais and Turtles, however, one reason being that I just don't like that shiny ceramic bezel on what I consider a toolie and vintage-inspired watch.
Mmmm I would like the *dial* of the Citizen, the *bracelet* of the Seiko, and the *movement* of the Orient, Seiko's *lume* - maybe a mod video waiting there Jody!!! atb snack.😉
The North American version of the Citizen, has a GREAT divers extension. However… only a latch with push/pull clasp for on/off. I have a Citizen diver thats 12 years old. It looks and feels great! But I wanted an automatic version as well. But, I totally agree…of all my watches, the “automatic Promaster” is by far the worst diver I have. I’m very glad it was right at $200 USD. The citizen will be used for sure. But it is a beater watch for sure. Diving, fishing, yard work, car repair…casual blue jeans and tee shirt material only. One last take…honestly, all of these great Japanese watches better be careful…micro brands are getting really good and really affordable. With ALL the added extras.
At the end of the day, I'd buy the Citizen. It's the best looking of the 3. I had a Samurai and never really cared for it. And the Orient is just weird looking.
Agree with all the points on the list. But... I have a very bad opinion about Citizen bezels. That is the only watch brand on the market whose watches have or develop in time VERTICAL play. Drives me crazy. I first thought it's only one model (BN0159), but then had some chance to play with other models. Jesus... not a fan of Citizen divers, except for one - Ecozilla (BJ8050-08E, Marine Sea). That's a proper diver's watch and it's HUGE, in case you ever plan to go diving. EDITED PS: Forgot to add: If you really need a real diver watch, just go to an online professional diver store. What's not on their sale list, is not a real diver's watch.
Miyota 8000series is the beast of all automatic movements. Extreme shock proof. Adjustable within +/-2s with a toothpick and you can service it yourself. Doesnt hack and unidirectional winding make it indestructible running time of 20+ years.The more you get deeper into mechanical watches and service costs/ longevity issues , the more you appreciate miyota 8000 series movement. Laco,stower used them in fligers due to said properties plus thin profile .
Some people just hate the noise and wobble. I like both. Several times during the day being reminded that I have a mechanical device on my wrist. Whir-whir-whir---zzip!
Might be a me thing, but if I had the cash for a Stowa flieger I’m going for the UNITAS 6498 hand wind movement. Have nothing against automatics, but I love seeing a good hand wind movement dance.
@@benburgess9428 ever tried servicing a swiss movement? Yes they are "beautifully decorated and eye pleasing" . Parts are not so pocket friendly nor their durability. BMW vs Corolla would be a good metaphor.
@@kalarPhaYar In the role I would use it for, I'm totally ok with that. I have a Legion of quartz pieces I wear and one hand wind that I occasionally fire up to be mesmerized by the dancing springs & gears. In that role, I'd wear the Stowa maybe once a month for a single day or maybe even as little as a single hour. In that role, I don't see servicing being all that frequent.
I honestly can't believe you gave the seiko the same points for case/build quality as the orient star. The rehout is misaligned in the seiko. The crown is unsigned.
Plus dude look at that case SHAPE and the quality of the brushing/polishing
I dunno, I think the Seiko’s crown with chamfer and no signing is nice. Just adding a signed logo doesn’t always make every watch better. It’s a case by case thing.
Alright that's valid for the bezel but clearly Seiko crown was a design choice by them, even the high end LX series don't have them but low end 300 bucks Presage series have them so clearly it's a design choice with them
@@__silver__ I got me first seiko from Japan and was worried about the bezel not being aligned but thankfully it’s actually really good very very slightly to far from the mark
Exactly, Orient is better
Seiko winning a bracelet contest is like a Pagani winning an originality contest. VERY nice watch. But that caught me off guard. I’m surprised the Orient Star didn’t have a better bracelet and clasp.
LOL, true, and, equally surprising that Seiko actually LOST in the lume category.
@@varanid9 Yeah forreal. What kind of alternate universe am I in right now lol
i like their cars
seiko bracelets being bad is just over exaggerated. They are just fine.
@@Yoshi-zt5df Someone obviously never saw/touched a halfway decent bracelet.
They are terrible, even the bracelets on Grand Seikos are worse than most bracelets on $500 watches.
I think that adding a double weighted section for comfort would be beneficial. A watch could have the best specs but, if it's uncomfortable it's useless.
All of them are a bit big and heavy IMO
I believe that the Orient features a fully decorated movement. Modern Orient Star watches feature pearlage on all the bridges and Geneva stripes on the rotor. It is a much better-looking movement than on standard Orient watches. Not that you'd know because of the solid case back. But if you are putting so much importance on the movement, then there should be an even bigger difference in score between the Orient and the Seiko and Citizen.
Can’t beat my Promaster Diver NY0040. Tough, accurate and with real military heritage. Quality on par with Seiko. In some ways better re alignments etc. it’s been an amazing watch to own.
I feel exactly the same way about my Vostok 420. Notting beats a simple and rugged beater watch.
Obviously the bi-directional, friction fitted bezel is not ideal for diving but not a problem for me as I only wear it as a quitky and interesting beater.
@@KTList Apparently the Vostok bezel actually locks in place under pressure. As the acrylic crystal flattens it pressure fits the bezel.
I've never dived, only snorkeled so I can't test mine.
I prefer the SKX on a jubilee, but I also have the old Promaster but the pepsi variant NY0086, there is something very cool about the older Promaster. It ain't a flash watch, but its a cool unique design.
@@edwardfletcher7790 It doesn't lock under pressure Edward, at least down to 100m it doesn't! Well, mine doesn't!However the acrylic crystal actually compresses against the case and increases the water resistance as you go down. I've used quite a few divers as backups, Seiko, Orient and Vostok, though sadly not Citizen but I hope to rectify that this year!
@@garyk8285 I have an SKX009 with lovely faded bezel. Love it but no where near as accurate as my Citizen Promaster. The Citizen is an honest workhorse. That said, my transitional Seiko 7002 7000 150m diver is battle worn with a lot of wabi but surprisingly dead on accurate. Great movement.
One additional thing to note is that Orient have prevented any 3rd party watch repair shop from getting access to their parts, so the Orient is how harder, and more expense, to fix.
If the Citizen had a 9000 series movement it would be right up there, like the utilitarian look, the Orient Star I think is the best of the bunch, depending on the colorway. When it comes down to it, the movement kills it. Both the Seiko and Orient can be upgraded by Strapcode for a far superior bracelet and can be usually found for under $100.
Really enjoyed this. I'm not sure its comparing like for like though. The Fugu has this added clout because it's limited edition and JDM, but it's an entry level offering from Citizen; you can pick up basically the same watch, minus the blowfish etching and with different indices, for £150 on Amazon. A fairer comparison would be between it and a Seiko Sports 5 and a Orient Mako II. Or between a Samurai, an Orient Star and a Citizen NB6004 (which is at least closer in retail price to the others). But anyway, I love all these watches; you could happily have them all and not need to choose between them! Hope you're having a lovely Christmas and the New Year continues great things for the channel.
I would have gone with the Orient Kamasu.
I think Jody accounted for this by adding double weight to the price category.
But isn’t the NB6004 like 800 bucks?
@@Skurtle They don't sell Orient in the UK but a King Samurai is £580. So I guess I'm a little too far the other way, but I'd say still a bit closer.
@@davidstjohn7943 but you’re right, I felt like the fugu wasn’t the best pick against a King Samurai and the Orient Star
The citizens has got the best movement they are reliable and last a long time.
Great fun! Thanks, Jody! All the best to you for 2022!
Great video. Enjoyed this format. I have Seiko divers and the Orient Star diver. Love both. Definitely think the Orient Star wins on originality. The Seiko dials are something special though, especially their Save The Ocean range.
The Orient is what I would go with. Really classy, good looking and crazy lume!
I would go for the orient as well, mostly because i have way better experiences with them in terms of quality control compared to seiko.
Agreed and agreed.👍
I just finally got my first Orient and I love it!!
I have a fairly customized samurai and I don't like the waffle dial in black so that would be a no for me. I love the green and gold combo and the power meter on the Orient I'd get that one for sure. If it had a knurled bezel with a ceramic insert instead of the coin edge it would be an instabuy for me.
I disagree with you on the movement score. The 4R35 is no better than the 8204. The bidirectional rotor doesn't make any real life difference, it has a slightly shorter power reserve than the 8204 and I would say is less accurate than the 8204.
These brands can fight for sure, BUT I think you let the wrong watch from Citizen in the ring. You should take the NY0141-10LE for example. Hacks and winds also with sapphire. But its much more prominent, if you go by the looks. The Lume is untouchable, and if you put it on a timegrapher should be the best. There is also a diver with mercedes hands, ok with mineral, but the bracelet is a banger. Maybe next time we can see something different at the end, another winner. I like your videos much, keep it up. Cant wait for 2022!!!
You should ad a QC category for future installments
Yeah definitely.
Ha! Indeed, but I only have one sample of each.
@@JustOneMoreWatch is right, the people no know that QC works
@@JustOneMoreWatch you could have that factor into brand then. Something like: seiko gets a 9 for being a seiko but - 2 for poor qc or something like that
I've become a bit of an Orient fan and I am really surprised they are not putting a milled clasp on that watch because it's their Star brand, it's supposed to all be high quality and how much is it exactly to put a milled clasp on? It can't be breaking the bank surely. It kind of feels like they were doing everything to get the price under $500 to get people onto the Orient Star train.
Isn't it the minute hand on the Samurai that looks most like a sword anyway?
I was surprised to see it. My Orient Star, in the same general price point, has a very nice milled clasp.
Jody I have 5 different Citizen divers from their basic all the way up to depth gauge, ascent alarm and a helium release valve. I love them all and never had an issue.
I have a blue Fugu and an Orient M-Force red dial.
M-Force is better built for double the price. But the Fugu is absolutely VFM and has a unique bezel form and crown location which I find very practical in everyday use.
I would never get an auto Citizen diver. I'd grab something like an eco-drive Promaster GMT. Around black Friday they we're in the $200 range. You could wear it every day for 20 years and never have it serviced once and it would be still working.
Totally agree, Citizen does well with their Eco dive. Reliable keeps time well, and charges fast under normal lighting. They have numerous colorways so there is something for all, and it won't break the bank. In the 90's I did have co workers who did diving before computers became the norm. All of them used Citizens, most had two, one to wear and one to send off to Citizen for pressure testing or if normal quartz battery change. Don't know of the cost but was probably reasonable since none of them complained..
One of my favorite watches I bought this year was the Manta Ray King Samurai. For $326 out the door it’s such a killer looking watch
Just got this beauty as well, for nearly the same price. Loving it, and what a phenomenal dial.
Hi Jody, you should have bought the Titanium Promaster in green. Here in Europe it costs € 300 while the King Samurai and the Orient are between 450 € - 550 €. The Citizen NY0100-50XE has a full titanium Case, bracelet and clasp. It would have won the Case, Bracelet+Clasp section by far! You should take a look at it!
Nope, Citizen oz has "sponsorship" issues that make their watches getting always unfavorable reviews from some **ahem** youtubers🤔
You do these better than anyone.
Thanks Phil! I should do more of them, they are a lot of fun.
Most watches have a single-click mechanism in the bezel. The Orient has a double one, that's why the click feels lighter, double and kinda odd. It's just different, not per se worse or better.
Nice head to head to head and agree the Seiko wins. The best kept secret for value and for in my opinion the best looking seiko would be the Baby Tuna SRPF81K1
Challenge Jody - take all 3 under water for a diver shoot-out. Bezel action/grip with cold wet hands. Fitment from wrist to over-suit. Visibility under water. Etc.
Excellent battle review. I want to like the Citizen but I have to say the Seiko deserves the win here, it's simply the best package out of the three and the best designed watch.
Hey Jody. Love these comparison videos. Keep’m coming. Many thanks once again. Spectacular job. Much subjectivity but your graciousness makes it all work. Merci! Merci!
Very good review. Can not disagree with any of your scores given your reasoning. I love Citizen watches and thought it would score higher but think your judgment was spot on 👍
Best watch channel on RUclips in my opinion
Love the comparison videos. Makes it easier to see the difference’s. Thanks Jody.
Wish every mechanical watch had a power reserve indicator I think that’s the most important feature, and that’s why I would take that orient I don’t care about bezel action as long as it turns.
I have been collecting since college in the early 90's. I love this channel. I love that you love watches!
Excellent scoring and assessment. Wishing you a good 2022 Jody - Happy Hogmanay - Och Aye The Noo and Haggis Day coming up Jan 25 Burn's night! - Not bad for a former Englishman living in The Pacific NW in USA for the last 22 years!
Its mind boggling how Citizen made a superior bracelet & clasp for the more affordable Nighthawk & fumbled the more expensive Fugu this badly.
Ahh, finally! The long awaited Japanese diver deathmatch :) Thanks Jody!
And hey, what a conclusion! There's been a lot of moaning about Seiko lately, especially saying the price-quality ratio isn't there. But here they are winning a round up, and one that's price adjusted as well.
I have some love for Citizen and Orient, too:
With Citizen there's often a few choice picks in the range that really feel above the rest of their offerings. There's the solar promaster diver that you reviewed, which has that excellent lume wars proven lume, and that eco-drive convenience, accuracy and reliability, all for much less than the Fugu. The Promaster Tough offers a fairly rare monobody construction that feels like it'll outlast anything else I have. And then there are some quirky limited editions, too, like the Star Wars and Avengers watches, and some interesting looking ultra thin eco-drive watches. Then you have the very high accuracy pieces that are also interesting.
Orient on the other hand has a couple interesting areas of expertise as well. First there are the affordable automatic divers such as the Kamasu. It too offers very good lume and a sapphire crystal but at half the price of the Orient Star Diver. It is a little bit sparser in the design department though. But the really interesting end of the range, I find, are the rather quirky dress and retro models. If you're into weird watches but don't want to go Vostok, Orient's got you. 1) Manual calendar that looks like a roulette wheel on your dial? Orient's got you. 2) Roman numerals and a moon phase -looking AM/PM indicator? Orient's got you. 3) Open heart + camera aperture blade -style dial with SLR camera bayonette style cutout + rotating bezel with camera aperture style markings + crown and crown guard that looks like a film camera winding lever + case back that looks like a camera viewfinder? Orient. has. got. you.
It would be interesting to see further head to heads between the big Japanese brands with different categories such as 1) Modern everyday or dress, or 2) Affordable retro weirdness, and so on.
A long-awaited comparison video that definitely delivers! Thanks for going into great detail on these three watches
Of you have some pym particles to shrink these down to a size I would actually want to wear, I might consider one of these. 🙃😂 I'll still watch it through though, because i find your videos fresh and entertaining!
I agree. The King Samurai is worth the price over the non-samurai. I have the white dial King Samurai and I wear it on a perlon and it does just about everything. Bracelets at this price point leave a lot to be desired.
Not mad at this result Jody...being that I was modeling my king sammy whilst I was watching the review(isn't it a good feeling when you see your own watch I the TV!).I would add though mate, that one small factor that helped me decide on the seiko was as a base chassis its mod capability is near infinite.all I've done is whack the strapcode hex head on there and it just escalates the feel of the watch so much that it really is all the watch you could ever need.(I also have a non king turtle,early save the ocean, and i do agree the turtle is definitely a more accomplished dive watch. Maximum respect as always mate!
I did the same with my King Samurai and the heavier bracelet balanced the watch head and made it a much better feeling on the wrist.
I saw Jody' review of the King week and he didn't rate it nearly so high as this review, I'm hoping that design grows on him because I think- dollar for dollar- the King Samurai is the best watch on sale right now.
I would have got the Citizen
BN0200-56E - currently below $400. And titanium.
Great video and fun to watch as usual. Thanks Jodi.
Just one detail... on the lume shot the Orient doesn't look to be very aligned between the 12 and the pip on the bezel. Or am I wrong?
Pity that the Seiko has no logo on the crown. Nice watch for the rest.
In addition to the SEIKO turtle you've given me another consideration with the king samurai, as I'm looking to go further up the latter in a dive watch without breaking the bank.
For me the Seiko King Samurai is a very strong offering buy one on a rubber strap and purchase one of the many aftermarket bracelets.
Hey Jodi, love this comparison videos. This japanese divers death match really caught me from begining to end! I personally own an Orient Star Diver and it is one of my favorite watches among my collection.
It also proved to be very tough! I took it to a trekking expedition over the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina, it slipped from my hands (i was doing photos... bad idea!) to an ice pit where it remained for 40 minutes until we were able to take it out with a chainsaw and an ice pick! And guess what? It came out looking impeccable and working just fine!
I did a video about this on my channel cause, if that's not a watch adventure story, then man, i just don't know what it is! haha
Great watch content as always Jodi! Really appreciate what you do. My best wishes from Argentina!
I think for around $50 ish dollars more the orient star open heart diver is a nicer watch not only does it have the cool looking dial showing the balance wheel but it also has a nice fully milled clasp unlike this stamped crap can’t believe they put that on an orient star. It’s also has a nice exhibition case back and a pretty nicely finished movement ive seen them for under $500 I’d like to see you do a review on that. I’m currently seriously considering their avant grade skeleton as my next pick up one of the few I can find with a screw down crown those can be had very cheap as well for a stunning looking watch. I think citizens bread and butter is obviously eco drive but they are the the undisputed king of the entry level dive watches under $300 for why you get milled clasp and ratcheting dive extension the QC fit and finish is something you need to spend upwards of $1000 to get in a Seiko. Seiko has gone up class orient has replaced Seiko as what they used to be in that more affordable category similar to what Tudor has become to Rolex.
Orient is by far my favourite brand.
Seiko quality control has dropped as the price has increased.
I love citizen aswell but they seem more obsessed with their quartz movements unlike Orient who seem to have the best automatic/mechanical choices, quality control and pricing.
I love my Orient Mako 2 with the orange dial.
Another fun video, thanks Jody !!!
I have bought SEIKO king samurai save the ocean Asia special edition “coral reef “ for 1 month. I absolutely love it.
I know its anecdotal but ive bought 4 seiko's and my experience with them is horrible, and i bought 2 Orients and they were both fantastic. Never buying a Seiko again, too many QC issues for me. But i might just be unlucky.
I would opt-in for orient star. For me it offers more vs seiko: better movement, more unique design, higher level finishing. Of course if reflects back on the price tag.
If=it
If I had my choice of the three, I would go for the Orient Star. I think it's the nicest looking of the three with a solid movement. The Samurai is a bit ho hum for me 😊❤
Enjoyed this. Have a good time at the bells 🏴👍
Spot on, the results I was expecting. Do like the Orient.
Just wish Japan made a Diver without the date...
Cheers mate, Happy New Year everyone 🥳🍻👍
Great comparison. High marks for honest objectivity.
I really enjoy these comparisons!
Great video! Been looking forward to it. Have used both Seiko and Orient diving......and a Vostok, though unfortunately never tried a Citizen. I hope to get one this year and give it a try! Disappointed with the Orient bezel action particularly as my old Mako XL has the best bezel action of all my divers.
Great review. I really like the way you compared them. And I agree with you. My problems with these 3 watches (1) too big & (2) lack of non-date version
Jody, 100% correct analysis!
I'd pay a little bit extra and get the Seiko Sumo Pepsi, the better watch of the lot, for around AU675 if possible or better. Don't be put off by the dimensions, its really 41.5mm-42mm bezel tip to bezel tip, and wears more like a 42mm. Fine for wrists above 6.75inches.
Sumo is a cracker Gary, for sure. I like the 20mm lugs, but it is a beast on wrist.
@@JustOneMoreWatch I think if they make a Pepsi variant on the version that you have (SPB185) I might upgrade to that. When you're in the Seiko store next, go check the new Seiko Sumo Pepsi with the black dial, makes it look a tad smaller. But you have to wear it for at least 15mins, it's sort of one of those watches that's a slow burn love haha
Great review, hasn't changed my mind but now I'm comforted by the knowlage that my favorite is the worst.....😒
King for the win! 👑 I’ve got a lovely blue save-the-oceans regular samurai which is one of my all time favorites, but looking at your early review of the King and this matchup, I’ll be looking at one of those Kings for sure! Got my eye out for one of those white-waffle dials with black ceramic bezel. Total killer look! 🤩 Thanks for the review Jody!
I just bought the king samurai dark manta.
Amazing video!!! Pretty spot on.
It's finally here!!!
Long live the king.
Nice comparison! Will you do a chronograph comparison?
Great video, thank you 👍😊. Oh! Samurai has applied markers? I heard applied, I heard stamped. I will go with what you say👍
The seiko samurai im indeed sure is a very good reliable watch. Ive never held one in the metal. But i can attest for sure an say the orient star is the clear winner out of these 3 for the line up. I own the oreint star. "Pepsi Bezel".. The only weakness is the bezel action. Orient kinda screwed up somehow with this model with the bezel. But my bezel is pretty good. This star is a 3,000 watch. One of orients best watches they have EVER made!. The bracelet is fine. It is solid an sturdy. Well built. Solid end caps. Comfortable. Excellent lume... Beautiful perfect dial. I absolutely adore an love this orient star watch. Wear it 24/8. I have no desire to buy another watch. I own one other watch. A dress watch. I use to wear that watch everyday. Loved it.. Still do.. But since my star diver.. Well... It has been sitting in its original box.
Cue Jody humming the 'Rocky' theme (like he does the Star Wars theme). 😁
Love your vids, so keep them up. I would like to politely disagree with your rating of the Citizen. If it is 3rd, that is fine, but I think you gave it a rough ride and it is not that far behind the others. I own all 3 and enjoy them all. Honestly though, I get many more compliments on the Citizen. Although I own the Fubu with red bezel and white dial. It is striking. Mvmt is a little behind the times. I wish it was hacking, but it keeps good time for me. Its proportions are very well done and it feels solid. As for the bracelet, you are right, stamped clasp and no extension (same bracelet that comes on most of the Citizen Skyhawks). Here is my question though, how many actually dive with these? I am a diver myself and have many tool divers I use while diving, but not this one. It is "dive style" and I think is meant more for the cosmetic appearence. Not to say it couldn't pull it off, but not really what it is meant for. A Citizen Aqualand is a better tool diver option (buy the right watch for the purpose). I normally wear my G Shock Froggy diving. I have a Rolex Sub and would never wear it diving. Same thing. Dive style, but ain''t no way I am banging a $15,000 watch off a coral reef or rock. Anyway, keep up the good work.
I'm not generally an Orient fan but I must say that this OS diver dial and hands just looks classier than either the Seiko or the Citizen. I also like the matte finish on the case, bracelet and insert as I believe polishing on a dive watch is a mistake. Aluminum inserts are easily replaced and a few knocks over the years give it some character. Finally the movement on the OS is a higher grade. The lume is best. None of the watches should have date complications and the power complication on the Orient is stupid. Divers don't need either. Other than price I think the Orient is the best.
So if the movement is going back and forth back and forth versus the citizen movement going in One direction it would almost make sense why citizen wouldn't change that movement... Because back and forth causes friction which will cause the parts to wear out quicker..... And a smooth movement just going in One direction would seem like it would last a lot longer as it's kind of going with the flow
Good video Jory, you should make this format more often
Can never go wrong with a Seiko
Nice video but the Orient Star brand is higher up than Orient. Maybe a Kamasu or the like would have been better suited here?
No mate, Kamasu is great but it is $200 and not ISO rated.. Orient Star may like to think it is better than this group, but it didn't win, did it? 🤔😉
Abit to brief or a review Jody. We need to dive deeper lol.
Have you ever tried to put that endlink back on a samurai, even with the drilled lugs. Nightmare
Ha! Not sure if I've ever taken one off the bracelet mate. But I will remember your warning!
Interesting that the Orient didn’t do so well in the bezel and bracelet scoring. I have several Orients, including a Ray II Raven with a perfect bezel and fantastic looking two-finish bracelet. Oh and for the win, you had me cracking me up with “Citizen, you own Miyota.”- just hilarious. Anyway, fun episode and great to see you continuing to give Orient more attention. A great value brand, for sure.
Great video!
Would be interesting to see the Islander ISL55 vs the King Samurai!
Great vid. Does the Citizen have the updated 8000 movement with hacking? My old NY0040 doesn't hack.
What a great format :)
Jody, please send me the link for your shirt, I looked on Ebay and could not find it! Outstanding.
The amount of times Seiko was on My wrist as I was drowning.
Beauty Sydney, The Kingfish in this Pond Mate!
Great video Jody,, Happy New Year to you and yours,, John..
King Samurai, is there other dial colors?
So much more entertaining than the cricket , maybe England should play Scotland instead ! Happy New Year Jody
Great video Jody! The Citizen was my sentimental underdog favorite going in. On the other hand (heh heh), I'm glad to be saving money, as now I am much less likely to purchase one. I will still buck the trend and stick with my regular Samurais and Turtles, however, one reason being that I just don't like that shiny ceramic bezel on what I consider a toolie and vintage-inspired watch.
What a high tech chart you made!
AR coatings surely relevant for these when considering crystal.
Citizen 8 series movements actually keep better time than Seiko's 4r. Citizen on most occasions made much better watches than Seiko.
Mmmm I would like the *dial* of the Citizen, the *bracelet* of the Seiko, and the *movement* of the Orient, Seiko's *lume* - maybe a mod video waiting there Jody!!! atb snack.😉
The North American version of the Citizen, has a GREAT divers extension. However… only a latch with push/pull clasp for on/off. I have a Citizen diver thats 12 years old. It looks and feels great! But I wanted an automatic version as well. But, I totally agree…of all my watches, the “automatic Promaster” is by far the worst diver I have. I’m very glad it was right at $200 USD. The citizen will be used for sure. But it is a beater watch for sure. Diving, fishing, yard work, car repair…casual blue jeans and tee shirt material only. One last take…honestly, all of these great Japanese watches better be careful…micro brands are getting really good and really affordable. With ALL the added extras.
Really good vod as always sir ; but was it fair to judge the price of an orient star instead of an orient ?
At the end of the day, I'd buy the Citizen. It's the best looking of the 3. I had a Samurai and never really cared for it. And the Orient is just weird looking.
I am just the fan of Samurai style case...but the OS Diver also looking really good
Safe to assume the king turtle would also be the winner here?
Seiko is always a winner when you include price... But for compatible watch in citizen or orient you have to pay 30-50% more...
Maybe Orient Star on rubber would be the way. Wish Seiko would go back to the original Samurai case though. That's the winner for me.
Agree with all the points on the list. But... I have a very bad opinion about Citizen bezels. That is the only watch brand on the market whose watches have or develop in time VERTICAL play. Drives me crazy. I first thought it's only one model (BN0159), but then had some chance to play with other models. Jesus... not a fan of Citizen divers, except for one - Ecozilla (BJ8050-08E, Marine Sea). That's a proper diver's watch and it's HUGE, in case you ever plan to go diving.
EDITED
PS: Forgot to add: If you really need a real diver watch, just go to an online professional diver store. What's not on their sale list, is not a real diver's watch.
Awesome video. The Seiko definitely deserves it. King is amazing and bracelet can be fixed with bigger Springbars.
Hmm... sounds like a neat trick with the spring bars. Will have to try. 👍👍
Wait... do you mean 'bigger' as in thicker, or 'bigger' as in longer? I don't know that I've seen thicker spring bars than what you get on a Seiko??