I thought this watch was kind of boring after I purchased it. Low and behold, after a few years it has become my daily. It has taken repeated beatings, traveled, been submerged, spent countless hours in the snow and sun. It has also seen desk time and general food gatherings. The more time I spend with it, the more I enjoy it for what it is. A simple, dependable, functional tool watch. I do not have to worry about anything on it. From taking vitals to swinging a hammer, it does great.
I'm a professional chef, and I have to say this is my favourite watch to wear while working. I got mine new in eBay for under 200 dollars. It's an almost perfect tool watch and is always accurate.
I have owned the black version of this for about half a year now. I have banged it into various things and it still looks brand new. No scratches, no dings, nothing. Just an amazing watch.
I bought one of these after seeing your mention of it in the previous vid. It has instantly become a favorite in my collection for all the reasons you cover.
If I needed a tough quartz tool watch this would be top of the list. Cool looking too. Probably go for the Ray Mears one, he's a legend over here in England Cheers, 👍🏻👍🏻
I currently own too many watches - I need to thin the heard for certain. And all price points. So why do I keep wearing this watch on a Bond NATO more often than my other watches??? It just wears so well and is always ready to go and is in fact a very tough watch. Has this become my "frugal man's" Explorer??? What can an Explorer do that this watch does not??? Just a great bargain and good looking watch. Except for the stupid date window - who knows why Citizen thought this was a good idea.....
I enjoy having a SEIKO auto in my collection as my lone auto option, within my eco quartz lineup . Automatics aren’t worth the while to service, regulate, adjust, wind…. Why bother when you have way more accuracy and batteryless operation
@@kdesjarlais8200 For some, the intrigue of a mechanical movement with its gears, springs, etc. is an important part of the hobby. Others could not care less about all that stuff. It’s all a matter of personal preference.
Love Eco-drive and Citizen quality. I stopped with over-collecting automatics and will happily add a couple more Eco-drive to my BN0150, the Promaster Tough could be one of them.
Once I discovered solar quartz I no longer had any interest in mechanical watches at all. No matter how tough a mechanical is its not tough enough for my job so I have zero interest in them.
I love this watch. It's become one of those ones I think about wearing when I'm not wearing it. Just a great synthesis of ruggedness, simplicity, and class. My second hand is well aligned, as has been every example I've seen in a video (including this one; I guess I could see a fractional misalignment occasionally, but by industry standards it looks great). Solid, handsome build all around. I'd passed over it a number of times because it wasn't "tool-y" enough, but I'm glad I gave it another look.
I was kind of stand offish about Citizen until I held a Promaster Diver with the ecodrive in my hands. Bought one shortly after. Love that watch, it really is as good if not better than the SKX. Can't recommend Citizen ecodrive enough. Only thing was the seconds hand wasn't hitting the marks so I popped it open and chucked the seconds hand, works way better as a two-hander.
Great review Shane! I love my Promaster Tough! So much so that I have the black version too! It’s definitely my grab and go piece! I’ve also seen a blue dial version floating around lately that looks great! I agree with what you said about the date window, for some reason Citizen does a terrible job on most of their watches with a date window. I like the bracelet that comes with it but my only complaint there is that it would be nice if they matched the end links to the shape of the lugs better. Overall it’s a great watch for the price! I’m considering testing out it’s toughness I’m a video series at some point, we’ll see if I go through with it! 😄 Thanks again for the video!
great vid. When it comes to Citizen i am actually a big fan of the promaster fugu, so i know how beautiful and simple their brushed cases can be. It's also decent value considering it's an ISO rated diver
I have a Citizen Flieger Type B and I love it. You can't go wrong with solar. In my collection I prefer tough watches. I have Sinn , Damasko, Seiko Marine Master, and the Victorinox INOX, to name just a few. I am considering the Promaster Tough. For me, solar just seems the way to go.
great review as always Shane and had my tough a year and it's superb, a wiser man than I refers to it as the low anxiety watch and he's so right, this watch is not gonna set the world on fire but I love it!! cheers
@@thetimebombardier Not 100% happy, I have a few minor gripes; it’d be nice if the metallic surrounds matched the finish on the hands and if the seconds hand hit the marks. Date, as mentioned, is hard to read but I like having it. Personally would like it 2-4mm smaller in diameter. Overall, it’s a good watch. It’s better than a XXL G-Shock or some digital piece. Monocase means less places to grime and dirt to accumulate. Lume is fine. Sapphire and costing means it’ll be looking new for a long-ass time.
Great review, thank you! Have this one in my collection, definitely one of the toughest and most legible of my watches. Also its simple design quite grew on me. Cheers from Warsaw!
Though I collect luxury watches, I wear either G's or this BNO211-50E when working my bar. As Peter stated above me, this piece is a very accurate, superb tool watch, ya can't beat the price and it's virtually cost-free once on the wrist(hopefully🤪) I swap it off the bracelet with either a sail cloth, leather or ballistic strap. Oh, and thank God, my seconds hand is spot on, lol🎯 Continued Success👊 Cheers🍻 RP
In the past year I now own the Citizen: AR3070-04L Stiletto - under 5mm thick case, beautiful navy blue guilloche dial w/ no seconds hand or date BM6770-51G - clean gorgeous black multifaceted dial and the AW1490-50A Titanium - white dial and light on the wrist All with Sapphire glass. The most expensive was $175. The titanium was the cheapest at $125. I took a photo, but realize you can't attach one to a youtube message. :D
It's a very good watch. I'd love to see a meca-quartz movement though. I do think that Citizen are starting a comeback. They may want to fill the gap Seiko has left with affordable automatic watches and compete with Orient.. It probably would have been better just to put the date where the 3 marker is .
Wow what a pleasant surprise seeing you review this. I ordered and absolutely loved the Ray Mears version of the Promaster Tough but unfortunately on my almost 8 inch wrist it was just to small. Excellent review with absolutely superb camera work as always.
I have one Citizen eco drive watch. Of my 7 quartz watches this one is the most accurate and it is now 18 years old !!!!! Watch collectors love Seiko but because I am in an engineering occupation I will choose Citizen every time.
I have the black version, love it. First thing I did was change out the awful fabric band to a rubber one. Thinking about buying a brushed stainless version to get the metal band. Great watch. I have many Citizens in my collection.
Thanks very much for the review. Really helped me with my decision to get one. I got lucky and found one on eBay for $180. Compared to all the other prices I’ve seen I had to get it. Your review was spot on IMO. Just received it today and so far I really like it. Thanks again and keep up the great content.
Love Citizen more and more. And the Eco-Drive/Set-n-Forget feature is very attractive. This one seems to be a great “grab-n-go” watch. Appreciate you sharing this one with us.
I own (and love) several Citizens, but their date windows are, for almost the entire brand, too small. It's one of the few complaints I have with Citizens.
I'm nearly 79 and my eyesight is no longer great. The Citizens that I own have easy-to-read black on white dates, but I largely will not but a watch with "negative" LQDs.
Yah, I've been trying to do more. Not sure which one I'll look at next. I've been curious about some of the Satellite Wave ones, but they can be pricey.
Thank you,Shane, another beautifully presented and photographed review. I agree with your comment on the date window....I just bought a Citizen World Time Eco-Drive.....wonderful watch ......except its quite difficult to read the date. Im thinking of buying a Rolex dial bubble from an AD and seeing if this improves matters☘
I have 3 citizen watches.one is over 20 years old.and a GMT with world time as well only one i have seen, it's done in a few colours. And a great field watch .they really are underrated. Gre a t video as usual thanks Shane.
I have the green dial version of this watch and the black dial “Mears” tough from UK! These watches are amazing! Hoping to get a Citizen Land PMD56 next.
2yrs ago I gave my tough to my son, since, I've owned countless others, including a longines , tudor, A Rolex, Tissot, several Seikos. TOMORROW !!! I'm collecting a new promaster tough, why ? It's the most reliable, comfy, good looking Watch I ever owned and I can't wait to get it on my wrist.
It’s a great feature. If you’re actually using your tOoL wAtCh for gross, dirty stuff like manual labor it’s one less place for grime to get caught, accumulate and build up. It’s a great design I wish more manufacturers would implement.
I thought I would like this watch but found it dull on the wrist and that the case, for all it's smooth finishing, actually dug into my wrist bone and hurt by the end of the day. Sold it on.
Great review... Would love to see a review on the Ray Mears version too ;) The original ones have a great reputation, so curious if the new ones stack up...
They need to lose that recessed tiny date window, crank up the lume, throw in a branded NATO strap with titanium clasp and extend the minute hand as you commented, then they would have a go-to classic beater on their hands. Great review Shane. They need you on their design team.
I've been eyeing the Citizen C7 automatics for a while now but they seem hard to get in North America. I really want the green dial but the only place I can find it is not shipping to Canada right now. They might be worth having a look at in a video.
They look great, but might be harder to get here too. I'd love to look at one, so I'll keep an eye out. I wonder if Dave would have an easier time, as he lives in Japan.
Hey, if it helps, I've got the Inox auto on bracelet and love it. My mate has a black citizen on the canvas and I am envious. I think the one in this review is the best version and probably the better all round. The citizen is svelte in comparison to the Victorinix even though it is 1mm less diameter and 2mm in thickness. The bezel on the Inox really beefs it up. Both are great. Inox comes in quartz as well, just not solar powered
Also, something to consider is that while the men’s Victorinox INOX quartz is rather large at 43mm, the ladies INOX is 37mm, and it comes in some gender neutral dials like black and blue. So depending on your wrist size and case preference, you could get an INOX that is slightly too big or too small 😁
@@section9809 thanks for that...the size of the Inox doesn’t really phase me as my wrist is 8” and I wear a Mudmaster sometimes. I guess it’s really a case of solar and svelte, or quartz and chunky, as they’re both capable tool watches with a similar style. Appreciate your input though.
@@cecilyau4440 thanks for the advice. I’m ok with the size of the Inox, as I’m 6’4 with an 8” wrist. That said, I also wear watches ranging from a little 36mm up to my 55mm Mudmaster comfortably. I think the styling of the Tough and the Inox are similar, but would have a substantially different feel on wrist. Thanks for your comment.
I don't think I mentioned it in the video, but I noticed Citizen is listing them as discontinued on their site. Which may be why prices have come down. Well worth it for what it is, but may not last long.
I recently purchased mine for a similar price, as a “refurbished” unit on Ebay as well. Different packaging than the original, but who cares - I don’t buy a watch for the packaging. I picked mine up for under $200 Cdn, incl. tax and shipping. Amazing deal. It’s my fifth Citizen EcoDrive. All my watches are Citizen or Casio/Gshock. Just can’t bring myself to spend substantial money on an automatic watch that is out 5+ seconds a day, is way less durable, and requires servicing every few years.
Shane, it’s a pity you get another Eco Drive with a misaligned second hand. AFAIK, most of them have pretty good alignment. My BN0150 has a good alignment most of the time.
Was looking at these for a while but never pulled the trigger because always thought it was too big. Glad I didn't since I think for me 40mm or less is best. Wish they made this in a 40 or 38mm. I'd buy in an instance.
Nice review. I have this. It is very nice, the hands could be a little longer. I think the date is useful. It’s there and it works. I think the date can be useful but I only changed every 24 hours, so there is not really that much to it. Some of the Victorinox INox models are similar to this. Only thing with them is they are expensive at retail and have a conventional battery.
How about the Citizen Corso AW0900 02X stylish, but with 100 metre water resistance, and sapphire and solar. Also the citizen nb1050-59e a watch that looks better than the SARB, for less money. I am a big fan of citizens. I think they are great value.
Pretty watch, but just this moment for some inexplicable reason I've got a hankering to listen to some Fabulous Thunderbirds. Well I'd walk ten miles on my hands and knees...
The Victorinox INOX quartz is a good option if you’re okay getting the “Ladies” version. It’s 37mm (versus the men’s INOX at 43mm), and there are some gender neutral dial colors like black or blue. Just got a “feminine-looking” multi-colored ladies INOX for my wife, and she loves it. Having it in hand, I tried it on my 6.6in wrist, and it fits darn well. So now, I’m looking into getting a black one for myself 😁. For reference, this watch has a lug to lug of about 44mm with the 37mm case diameter.
The link is supposed to take you to your local Amazon store. Not sure why it's $400 in Canada. It's currently $321 on the US site. Jomashop also has them $289. Others have mentioned finding refrubished ones on eBay for about $150 too, but I haven't seen them.
Probably not a great choice if you have smaller wrist, just because I think it wears a little larger. Although with the case design it's not as bad as it normally would be. As it starts to curve as it goes out to the lugs.
I used to own this watch. I have a 6.5” flat wrist and it was still wearable. The lug holes sit well inside the lugs and the bracelet has female end links meaning the effective pivot point is closer to what a 49mm lug to lug watch would be. I ended up selling mostly due to the weak lume and got the smaller 40mm UK Super Titanium Promaster Tough (BN0118). Bracelet has a ratcheting extension and lume is really good.
Great question. Bertuchis are tough as nails, but they have a much more substantial feel on the wrist. Typically they feel and are taller. Design wise, they are also much more of a traditional field watch too. I actually have a Titanium Bertuchi Ill be reviewing some point soon. instagram.com/p/COk_vhpLbUM/ Between the two, I'd probably go with the Citizen for the thinner profile, sapphire, and regular lugs.
And yet there are Citizen "Tough" models that are 44mm x 12.9mm, with a screwback case, B612 module (instead of E168), and three subdials. Citizen is pretty casual about names, omits the model number from the watch itself, and is content.
In the past, I had an eco drive. While there is no battery to change, after few years, still need to change the capacitor anyway. Has the technology improved till its capacitor doesnt need to be changed now? I am attracted to the monobloc. Though still bothered by ticking second hand. Haha
How long ago did you have one? I'm not 100% sure, but I think they have been improving the battery along the way. I'm not sure what it was in the past, but I think it's a Lithium-Ion now. I know Seiko Kinetics used to have a capacitor, but those all seemed to fail within a decade, so they switched to the same battery that Citizen uses. According to the Wikipedia page Citizen says the battery should last for more than 10 years. Plus Citizen Europe has done lab tests showing 80% of initial capacity after 20 years on the battery. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-Drive#:~:text=According%20to%20Citizen%20Europe%2C%20laboratory,for%20these%20batteries%20to%20fail. Now like all things electronics these days, your mileage may vary. Yet at least you know what it's potentially capable of. I have one solar-powered watch that is over 20 years old and still works. So I know it's possible. Personally, I would expect at least a decade of good use, and hopefully more.
Eco drive watches used to have capacitors, but in recent years have switched over to lithium ion batteries. There are stories circulating of them running for decades. I would have no fear, I love my eco drive. It's the watch I set all my mechanical watches to!
The smooth back of the watch combined with the substantial weight allows it to slide over the wrist bone which then impedes wrist movement when doing strenuous activities. In my experience the traditional case back anchors the watch better.
Depends on your eyes and how easy it is for you to read. If I have to hunt for it, or squint to read it, I'd rather just pull out my phone to find the date.
Some of the newer and more expensive Citizens have sapphire crystals. How would you compare the Tough to Seiko Tunas? I am looking for a watch that is rugged, yet good - looking on the wrist.
Hard to say, as I've never had a tuna. At some point I need to try one out, but I've been rather concerned about it's size. Seems like a big boy with it's shroud.
I would prefer the model you've featured if it were 38-40 but it isn't, so I've ordered the' Ray Mears' ( I'm in UK), which is also titanium ( a major plus) but is less versatile . In Japan there JDM model with day/date & syncs to the atomic clock only in Japan. Who in Citizen makes these crazy decisions?
@@RelativeTime The question I've asked myself a thousand time is, why are there even JDM watches? I've had to buy 2 Casio's direct from Japan, crazy decisions these companies make
Love monocoque case watches, love titanium watches, love solar watches (aka eco drive...), I will NEVER like this specific watch. Love other Citizen's similar models (BN0110, BN0118, BN121, PMD56 + many), this one is so preservative designed it becomes... ugly! Sorry, i'm trying to like it for many years, still no good. Other than that (not that this is a small matter!) it's a very good watch. Thanks for the review though, always glad to hear your thoughts. PS To anyone getting any ecodrive Citizen, watch out (or deeper in...lol), date window sucks! 🧐😋😂
Interesting watch where it sits comfortably in no specific area although it has the board arrow which puts it somewhere in the military category but yet it doesn’t look like a military watch but more like your everyday watch with no wow factor Not a great fan of solar watches especially now you have meca quartz movements with a 5 beat per second and battery life now 5 years
I really like Citizen watches but unfortunately they are usually on the large size. I would be thrilled and would purchase one if it came in a 38mm size.....oh well.
Nope, I point that out at some point. I think I've seen misaligned second hands from just about every major brand at this point. You can't seem to get away from it these days. The biggest disappointment was on the one G-shock I showed, but at least an Oceanus I recently got seems to be lined up.
I thought this watch was kind of boring after I purchased it. Low and behold, after a few years it has become my daily. It has taken repeated beatings, traveled, been submerged, spent countless hours in the snow and sun. It has also seen desk time and general food gatherings. The more time I spend with it, the more I enjoy it for what it is. A simple, dependable, functional tool watch. I do not have to worry about anything on it. From taking vitals to swinging a hammer, it does great.
Thank you. Amongst other things.. your "radio" voice is very soothing, and with impeccable articulation, it was a true pleasure listening to you.
Lol
Insufferable
I'm a professional chef, and I have to say this is my favourite watch to wear while working. I got mine new in eBay for under 200 dollars. It's an almost perfect tool watch and is always accurate.
Interesting. I would've thought, from my very modest cooking experience at home a chef would need a (digital) chronometer. I'm probably wrong though.
I believe this can survive the scream of Gordon Ramsay
@@ХристоМартунковграфЛозенски Stopwatch
I thought chefs wore resin casios
@@oscarosullivan4513 we do
I have owned the black version of this for about half a year now. I have banged it into various things and it still looks brand new. No scratches, no dings, nothing. Just an amazing watch.
I bought one of these after seeing your mention of it in the previous vid. It has instantly become a favorite in my collection for all the reasons you cover.
If I needed a tough quartz tool watch this would be top of the list. Cool looking too.
Probably go for the Ray Mears one, he's a legend over here in England Cheers, 👍🏻👍🏻
Got mine about a month back new on Ebay for 150. To good of a deal to pass up. I enjoy it very much. Great grab and go.
That was a rally good price.
I have this watch on bracelet and the all black on the cordura strap..and they are awesome watches despite Any flaws anyone finds
Your product shots and video are some of the best I’ve seen.
Thanks!
I currently own too many watches - I need to thin the heard for certain. And all price points. So why do I keep wearing this watch on a Bond NATO more often than my other watches??? It just wears so well and is always ready to go and is in fact a very tough watch. Has this become my "frugal man's" Explorer??? What can an Explorer do that this watch does not??? Just a great bargain and good looking watch. Except for the stupid date window - who knows why Citizen thought this was a good idea.....
I enjoy having a Citizen eco drive in my collection as my lone quartz option.
Same here. I have 2 of them, both stiletto, very slim ones. Perfect day watches and good for computer work.
With you there! I have the Promaster Worldtime and it is a joy to wear
I enjoy having a SEIKO auto in my collection as my lone auto option, within my eco quartz lineup . Automatics aren’t worth the while to service, regulate, adjust, wind…. Why bother when you have way more accuracy and batteryless operation
@@kdesjarlais8200 For some, the intrigue of a mechanical movement with its gears, springs, etc. is an important part of the hobby. Others could not care less about all that stuff. It’s all a matter of personal preference.
Love Eco-drive and Citizen quality. I stopped with over-collecting automatics and will happily add a couple more Eco-drive to my BN0150, the Promaster Tough could be one of them.
Once I discovered solar quartz I no longer had any interest in mechanical watches at all. No matter how tough a mechanical is its not tough enough for my job so I have zero interest in them.
I hear no "rattle" when I wear the watch and appreciate that the links move to conform to my wrist.
I love this watch. It's become one of those ones I think about wearing when I'm not wearing it. Just a great synthesis of ruggedness, simplicity, and class. My second hand is well aligned, as has been every example I've seen in a video (including this one; I guess I could see a fractional misalignment occasionally, but by industry standards it looks great). Solid, handsome build all around. I'd passed over it a number of times because it wasn't "tool-y" enough, but I'm glad I gave it another look.
I was kind of stand offish about Citizen until I held a Promaster Diver with the ecodrive in my hands. Bought one shortly after. Love that watch, it really is as good if not better than the SKX. Can't recommend Citizen ecodrive enough. Only thing was the seconds hand wasn't hitting the marks so I popped it open and chucked the seconds hand, works way better as a two-hander.
Recently acquired the Citizen CA0700, titanium chrono. Light weight and beautiful dial.
Great review Shane! I love my Promaster Tough! So much so that I have the black version too! It’s definitely my grab and go piece! I’ve also seen a blue dial version floating around lately that looks great! I agree with what you said about the date window, for some reason Citizen does a terrible job on most of their watches with a date window. I like the bracelet that comes with it but my only complaint there is that it would be nice if they matched the end links to the shape of the lugs better. Overall it’s a great watch for the price! I’m considering testing out it’s toughness I’m a video series at some point, we’ll see if I go through with it! 😄 Thanks again for the video!
great vid. When it comes to Citizen i am actually a big fan of the promaster fugu, so i know how beautiful and simple their brushed cases can be. It's also decent value considering it's an ISO rated diver
I have a Citizen Flieger Type B and I love it. You can't go wrong with solar. In my collection I prefer tough watches. I have Sinn , Damasko, Seiko Marine Master, and the Victorinox INOX, to name just a few. I am considering the Promaster Tough. For me, solar just seems the way to go.
I think the other colour options actually rock more. That's one nice PVD black.
great review as always Shane and had my tough a year and it's superb, a wiser man than I refers to it as the low anxiety watch and he's so right, this watch is not gonna set the world on fire but I love it!! cheers
I bought mine on that neurotic, wise, anxious, nervous, sage man’s advice.
@@Mister_Phafanapolis LOL and you happy with it? I am :)
@@thetimebombardier Not 100% happy, I have a few minor gripes; it’d be nice if the metallic surrounds matched the finish on the hands and if the seconds hand hit the marks. Date, as mentioned, is hard to read but I like having it. Personally would like it 2-4mm smaller in diameter.
Overall, it’s a good watch. It’s better than a XXL G-Shock or some digital piece. Monocase means less places to grime and dirt to accumulate. Lume is fine. Sapphire and costing means it’ll be looking new for a long-ass time.
@@Mister_Phafanapolis yup agree mate, the date window too small but i love the greyed out colour of the titanium super cool!!
Great review, thank you! Have this one in my collection, definitely one of the toughest and most legible of my watches. Also its simple design quite grew on me. Cheers from Warsaw!
Though I collect luxury watches, I wear either G's or this BNO211-50E when working my bar. As Peter stated above me, this piece is a very accurate, superb tool watch, ya can't beat the price and it's virtually cost-free once on the wrist(hopefully🤪)
I swap it off the bracelet with either a sail cloth, leather or ballistic strap.
Oh, and thank God, my seconds hand is spot on, lol🎯
Continued Success👊
Cheers🍻
RP
In the past year I now own the Citizen:
AR3070-04L Stiletto - under 5mm thick case, beautiful navy blue guilloche dial w/ no seconds hand or date
BM6770-51G - clean gorgeous black multifaceted dial
and the AW1490-50A Titanium - white dial and light on the wrist
All with Sapphire glass.
The most expensive was $175. The titanium was the cheapest at $125.
I took a photo, but realize you can't attach one to a youtube message. :D
The trick is that Citizen makes SO MANY watches, that discontinued/undersold models can be had CHEAP.
As long as you don't need a niche watch like a diver or a flieger, there are tons of awesome Citizens out there for under $250.
This is true. I think the Promaster Tough might be on it's way out as well, which is why the price is so good.
It's a very good watch. I'd love to see a meca-quartz movement though. I do think that Citizen are starting a comeback. They may want to fill the gap Seiko has left with affordable automatic watches and compete with Orient.. It probably would have been better just to put the date where the 3 marker is .
Wow what a pleasant surprise seeing you review this. I ordered and absolutely loved the Ray Mears version of the Promaster Tough but unfortunately on my almost 8 inch wrist it was just to small. Excellent review with absolutely superb camera work as always.
I have one Citizen eco drive watch. Of my 7 quartz watches this one is the most accurate and it is now 18 years old !!!!! Watch collectors love Seiko but because I am in an engineering occupation I will choose Citizen every time.
Great review. These things definitely are big in person. They seem fine enough, just a bit boring.
Great review, beautiful photography 👍 . I have the Ray Meats style UK model and it is great, although the date window is still too small!
How's the lume on yours? Got mine yesterday & tried the lume & it was really disappointing.The numbers were fuzzy & limp.
@@jaysterling26 That doesn't sound right. Mine is very crisp printing and the lume is an even blue and long lasting. I hope you get a replacement .
I have the black version, love it. First thing I did was change out the awful fabric band to a rubber one. Thinking about buying a brushed stainless version
to get the metal band. Great watch. I have many Citizens in my collection.
Thanks very much for the review. Really helped me with my decision to get one. I got lucky and found one on eBay for $180. Compared to all the other prices I’ve seen I had to get it. Your review was spot on IMO. Just received it today and so far I really like it. Thanks again and keep up the great content.
I too didn’t realize it had a date window until it was mentioned
Good to see watch review that's not afraid to give criticism
Love Citizen more and more. And the Eco-Drive/Set-n-Forget feature is very attractive. This one seems to be a great “grab-n-go” watch.
Appreciate you sharing this one with us.
Glad you like it.
Good job Shane. Yeah it's plain yeah it's a bit boring but man is it tough.
I own (and love) several Citizens, but their date windows are, for almost the entire brand, too small. It's one of the few complaints I have with Citizens.
I'm nearly 79 and my eyesight is no longer great. The Citizens that I own have easy-to-read black on white dates, but I largely will not but a watch with "negative" LQDs.
Great video. I wish we could get more citizen reviews in but sadly they don’t seem to get as much love.
Yah, I've been trying to do more. Not sure which one I'll look at next. I've been curious about some of the Satellite Wave ones, but they can be pricey.
@@RelativeTime
They have a full Titanium GMT diver, with sapphire and an integrated cyclops, which solves the date issue.
Thank you,Shane, another beautifully presented and photographed review. I agree with your comment on the date window....I just bought a Citizen World Time Eco-Drive.....wonderful watch ......except its quite difficult to read the date. Im thinking of buying a Rolex dial bubble from an AD and seeing if this improves matters☘
let me know how that works out. I've heard of people adding them, but not sure what adhesive you are supposed to use.
Citizen it's one of the major brands and at the same time it's very underrated
Very true. I need to look at them more often. Now I just have figure out which one to check out next.
I have 3 citizen watches.one is over 20 years old.and a GMT with world time as well only one i have seen, it's done in a few colours. And a great field watch .they really are underrated. Gre a t video as usual thanks Shane.
I have this exact watch....easily a favorite with more wrist time than my other divers.
Please check out any Promaster SST variant. Would love to see a review of that.
I have the green dial version of this watch and the black dial “Mears” tough from UK! These watches are amazing! Hoping to get a Citizen Land PMD56 next.
2yrs ago I gave my tough to my son, since, I've owned countless others, including a longines , tudor,
A Rolex, Tissot, several Seikos.
TOMORROW !!!
I'm collecting a new promaster tough, why ?
It's the most reliable, comfy, good looking
Watch I ever owned and I can't wait to get it on my wrist.
Lovey thorough review. Well done.
Can't get the past the Citizen Tough, it would be hard to justify a more expensive watch.
I don't think I've ever seen a watch with a solid case like that. Pretty interesting. As always, great vid!
I believe Seiko MarineMaster 300 was one of the first.
It’s a great feature. If you’re actually using your tOoL wAtCh for gross, dirty stuff like manual labor it’s one less place for grime to get caught, accumulate and build up. It’s a great design I wish more manufacturers would implement.
I thought I would like this watch but found it dull on the wrist and that the case, for all it's smooth finishing, actually dug into my wrist bone and hurt by the end of the day. Sold it on.
If you buy this or the ray mears edition from England you made a great decision. I can compare the differences between both for you if you'd like.
Great review... Would love to see a review on the Ray Mears version too ;)
The original ones have a great reputation, so curious if the new ones stack up...
I'm curious about them too, so maybe in a month or two.
The 2018 model was only available in the UK in black and blue.Got the black one before Brexit.
@@JeeGee114 Nice. I was actually curious of they are still available. Mind you, I would love to get hold of a strap (black or blue)
They need to lose that recessed tiny date window, crank up the lume, throw in a branded NATO strap with titanium clasp and extend the minute hand as you commented, then they would have a go-to classic beater on their hands.
Great review Shane. They need you on their design team.
Got the Citizen BN0118-55E instead. Total bulletproof zombie apocalypse watch. Additionally its full titanium with Duratech coating.
Damn Citizen comin in hot. I like this watch. Now if an auto version comes in that black pvd oh damn.
I've been eyeing the Citizen C7 automatics for a while now but they seem hard to get in North America. I really want the green dial but the only place I can find it is not shipping to Canada right now. They might be worth having a look at in a video.
They look great, but might be harder to get here too. I'd love to look at one, so I'll keep an eye out. I wonder if Dave would have an easier time, as he lives in Japan.
Thanks for the comprehensive review. I’ve been tossing up between the Citizen Tough and the Victorinox Inox. Still weighing it up.
Hey, if it helps, I've got the Inox auto on bracelet and love it. My mate has a black citizen on the canvas and I am envious. I think the one in this review is the best version and probably the better all round. The citizen is svelte in comparison to the Victorinix even though it is 1mm less diameter and 2mm in thickness. The bezel on the Inox really beefs it up. Both are great. Inox comes in quartz as well, just not solar powered
Also, something to consider is that while the men’s Victorinox INOX quartz is rather large at 43mm, the ladies INOX is 37mm, and it comes in some gender neutral dials like black and blue. So depending on your wrist size and case preference, you could get an INOX that is slightly too big or too small 😁
@@section9809 thanks for that...the size of the Inox doesn’t really phase me as my wrist is 8” and I wear a Mudmaster sometimes. I guess it’s really a case of solar and svelte, or quartz and chunky, as they’re both capable tool watches with a similar style. Appreciate your input though.
@@cecilyau4440 thanks for the advice. I’m ok with the size of the Inox, as I’m 6’4 with an 8” wrist. That said, I also wear watches ranging from a little 36mm up to my 55mm Mudmaster comfortably. I think the styling of the Tough and the Inox are similar, but would have a substantially different feel on wrist. Thanks for your comment.
I may yet become a citizen convert, elegant tool watch
I've been wanting one of these for a very long time.
I don't think I mentioned it in the video, but I noticed Citizen is listing them as discontinued on their site. Which may be why prices have come down. Well worth it for what it is, but may not last long.
It’s a good bit of kit. Can take as much of a thumping as any G-Shock could, is a simple analog display and isn’t XXL sized like a Casio.
I own one and it's amazing, somewhere I read it has super-luminova, go figure.
I must admit the second hand doesn't align markers, annoys me a bit.
Love the Fabulous Thunderbirds reference 😂
Got mine on eBay as factory refurbished for around $150, enjoying the heck out of this watch....
Wow, that is a great price.
I recently purchased mine for a similar price, as a “refurbished” unit on Ebay as well. Different packaging than the original, but who cares - I don’t buy a watch for the packaging. I picked mine up for under $200 Cdn, incl. tax and shipping. Amazing deal. It’s my fifth Citizen EcoDrive. All my watches are Citizen or Casio/Gshock. Just can’t bring myself to spend substantial money on an automatic watch that is out 5+ seconds a day, is way less durable, and requires servicing every few years.
Another great review Shane. Love this watch...
Thanks!
Shane, it’s a pity you get another Eco Drive with a misaligned second hand.
AFAIK, most of them have pretty good alignment.
My BN0150 has a good alignment most of the time.
Check out the BN-0118 ("Super Tough). It steps it up another notch! I'm on the hunt for one.
Was looking at these for a while but never pulled the trigger because always thought it was too big. Glad I didn't since I think for me 40mm or less is best. Wish they made this in a 40 or 38mm. I'd buy in an instance.
Nice review. I have this. It is very nice, the hands could be a little longer.
I think the date is useful. It’s there and it works. I think the date can be useful but I only changed every 24 hours, so there is not really that much to it.
Some of the Victorinox INox models are similar to this. Only thing with them is they are expensive at retail and have a conventional battery.
I've been meaning to look at an INOX for a long time, but never have. Usually they seem a little expensive for what they are.
I would agree. The price of Swiss watches continues to rise. Unfortunate for us.
A modern-day explorer's watch. An affordable Japanese quartz Sinn. If a guy only needed one watch, this would certainly do.
I now have six entry-level, Citizens. Each has a sapphire crystal, or I would not have purchased it. My Blue Angel was the most expensive.
Cool review thanks. I've looked at this watch before and I'm considering picking one up.
How about the Citizen Corso AW0900 02X stylish, but with 100 metre water resistance, and sapphire and solar. Also the citizen nb1050-59e a watch that looks better than the SARB, for less money. I am a big fan of citizens. I think they are great value.
The BM6770-51G fits that bill as well, imho
the citizen stiletto are really thin with the solar movement and textures in the dial
That might be one to check out in the future.
Pretty watch, but just this moment for some inexplicable reason I've got a hankering to listen to some Fabulous Thunderbirds.
Well I'd walk ten miles on my hands and knees...
Love the silky voice 😂
Solar, Quartz, sapphire...!!! Perfect SHTF watch... Who needs to know the date when the world is ending anyway...!?
This is true... lol
I've got to get one of these! Good review thanks!
Will buy it instant if its 38mm
The Victorinox INOX quartz is a good option if you’re okay getting the “Ladies” version. It’s 37mm (versus the men’s INOX at 43mm), and there are some gender neutral dial colors like black or blue. Just got a “feminine-looking” multi-colored ladies INOX for my wife, and she loves it. Having it in hand, I tried it on my 6.6in wrist, and it fits darn well. So now, I’m looking into getting a black one for myself 😁. For reference, this watch has a lug to lug of about 44mm with the 37mm case diameter.
I liked my Eco-Drive watches, but had 4 of the 6 fail on me. Funny enough, the 2 cheapest ones I bought are the only ones still working.
That link lead to my Amazon Canada where they wanted $400 for it.
That's a hard no from me, dog.
The link is supposed to take you to your local Amazon store. Not sure why it's $400 in Canada. It's currently $321 on the US site. Jomashop also has them $289.
Others have mentioned finding refrubished ones on eBay for about $150 too, but I haven't seen them.
I have the black version with a Barton elite silicone band. I thought these were discontinued.
I like the design but the lug to lug kills it for people like myself w/ small wrists.
Probably not a great choice if you have smaller wrist, just because I think it wears a little larger. Although with the case design it's not as bad as it normally would be. As it starts to curve as it goes out to the lugs.
I used to own this watch. I have a 6.5” flat wrist and it was still wearable. The lug holes sit well inside the lugs and the bracelet has female end links meaning the effective pivot point is closer to what a 49mm lug to lug watch would be. I ended up selling mostly due to the weak lume and got the smaller 40mm UK Super Titanium Promaster Tough (BN0118). Bracelet has a ratcheting extension and lume is really good.
I have been considering a good field watch. How would you compare the Tough with a comperable Bertucci?
Great question. Bertuchis are tough as nails, but they have a much more substantial feel on the wrist. Typically they feel and are taller. Design wise, they are also much more of a traditional field watch too.
I actually have a Titanium Bertuchi Ill be reviewing some point soon.
instagram.com/p/COk_vhpLbUM/
Between the two, I'd probably go with the Citizen for the thinner profile, sapphire, and regular lugs.
@@RelativeTime, thanks. I am leaning towards the Citizen primarily because it is solar. However, I will wait for your Bertucci review 👌
The design reminds me of the IWC Ingenieur (the 2012 - 2014 years)
Date window is tiny. Pretty much needs a cyclops over it or do away with it all together.
@world of tanks XXX
Interesting. Please expand more on your comment.
Strangely, the buckle on mine is on the front of my wrist - opposite the back of my hand and wrist.
And yet there are Citizen "Tough" models that are 44mm x 12.9mm, with a screwback case, B612 module (instead of E168), and three subdials. Citizen is pretty casual about names, omits the model number from the watch itself, and is content.
In the past, I had an eco drive. While there is no battery to change, after few years, still need to change the capacitor anyway. Has the technology improved till its capacitor doesnt need to be changed now?
I am attracted to the monobloc. Though still bothered by ticking second hand. Haha
How long ago did you have one?
I'm not 100% sure, but I think they have been improving the battery along the way. I'm not sure what it was in the past, but I think it's a Lithium-Ion now. I know Seiko Kinetics used to have a capacitor, but those all seemed to fail within a decade, so they switched to the same battery that Citizen uses.
According to the Wikipedia page Citizen says the battery should last for more than 10 years. Plus Citizen Europe has done lab tests showing 80% of initial capacity after 20 years on the battery.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-Drive#:~:text=According%20to%20Citizen%20Europe%2C%20laboratory,for%20these%20batteries%20to%20fail.
Now like all things electronics these days, your mileage may vary. Yet at least you know what it's potentially capable of. I have one solar-powered watch that is over 20 years old and still works. So I know it's possible. Personally, I would expect at least a decade of good use, and hopefully more.
Eco drive watches used to have capacitors, but in recent years have switched over to lithium ion batteries. There are stories circulating of them running for decades. I would have no fear, I love my eco drive. It's the watch I set all my mechanical watches to!
The smooth back of the watch combined with the substantial weight allows it to slide over the wrist bone which then impedes wrist movement when doing strenuous activities. In my experience the traditional case back anchors the watch better.
How much?
I think they have been discontinued. Although if you look around you may find some older stock around $200-$300
I need a date on a watch, and although it is recessed, it’s still not “practically useless”.
Depends on your eyes and how easy it is for you to read. If I have to hunt for it, or squint to read it, I'd rather just pull out my phone to find the date.
@@RelativeTime one extra step. I don't hear all those Casio lovers saying how small and squinty the numbers are on there.
@@secordman depends on the Casio. Like every watch, it all depends. I just found this one particularly hard to read.
bj7110 saph , all titan , gmt, diver cert and not mono case
Some of the newer and more expensive Citizens have sapphire crystals. How would you compare the Tough to Seiko Tunas? I am looking for a watch that is rugged, yet good - looking on the wrist.
Hard to say, as I've never had a tuna. At some point I need to try one out, but I've been rather concerned about it's size. Seems like a big boy with it's shroud.
@@RelativeTime, thanks for your honesty.
I would prefer the model you've featured if it were 38-40 but it isn't, so I've ordered the' Ray Mears' ( I'm in UK), which is also titanium ( a major plus) but is less versatile .
In Japan there JDM model with day/date & syncs to the atomic clock only in Japan. Who in Citizen makes these crazy decisions?
I've asked that question a lot about JDM models.
@@RelativeTime The question I've asked myself a thousand time is, why are there even JDM watches? I've had to buy 2 Casio's direct from Japan, crazy decisions these companies make
@@John-P exactly. I recently got a Casio Oceanus. Fantastic watch, no clue why they keep them in Japan.
@@RelativeTime Yes I got the Oceanus S100 and WVA-M630D-9AJF both fantastic maybe they keep the best for themselves.
Christ its just like Sinn556i minus the highly accurate regulated Swiss movement and it has an extra 3.5mm to the case size.
DISTRIBUTION OF WEIGHT ACRESS A LARGER AREA, AS A MATTER OF PHYSICS, MAKES THE OBJECT FEEL LIGHTER, NOT HEAVIER.
Love monocoque case watches, love titanium watches, love solar watches (aka eco drive...), I will NEVER like this specific watch. Love other Citizen's similar models (BN0110, BN0118, BN121, PMD56 + many), this one is so preservative designed it becomes... ugly!
Sorry, i'm trying to like it for many years, still no good. Other than that (not that this is a small matter!) it's a very good watch.
Thanks for the review though, always glad to hear your thoughts.
PS To anyone getting any ecodrive Citizen, watch out (or deeper in...lol), date window sucks! 🧐😋😂
I’ve seen it compared to the Victorinox I.N.O.X., although a much beefier piece.
Interesting watch where it sits comfortably in no specific area although it has the board arrow which puts it somewhere in the military category but yet it doesn’t look like a military watch but more like your everyday watch with no wow factor
Not a great fan of solar watches especially now you have meca quartz movements with a 5 beat per second and battery life now 5 years
I really like Citizen watches but unfortunately they are usually on the large size. I would be thrilled and would purchase one if it came in a 38mm size.....oh well.
I have the BM8180-03E. Great smaller watch. More of a “traditional” field watch size.
Does it have screw down crown?I like small Ray Mears version
Normal tough yes. Presumably yes for the ray mears.
It does have a screw down crown.
I have both, and yes.
The seconds hand isn't hitting the markers. Citizen, I didn't expect this. Come on!
Nope, I point that out at some point. I think I've seen misaligned second hands from just about every major brand at this point. You can't seem to get away from it these days.
The biggest disappointment was on the one G-shock I showed, but at least an Oceanus I recently got seems to be lined up.
Great review per usual
Thanks again!
Where’d you get that khaki strap at the 0:07 mark?
It's from Vario. I might have a link in the description.
@@RelativeTime Thank you for the reply, I clicked on the vario link you have but it doesn’t pop up, it’s probably sold out.