In 1994 I somehow convinced the US Army that they should let me fly their helicopters. While in flight school and thereafter I got to observe all kinds of different pilot watches from Timex to Rolex with various complications and bezel functionalities put to task in the cockpit, but for me my Timex Triathlon actually better suited my needs while flying given that I fully-utilized the impressive capabilities of my E6B flight computer. The desire to own and wear a pilot's watch was always there however, just eating at me. Years later in 2003 my job as a mechanical design engineer in the medical device industry put me on the search for a swiss screw machine that would meet my needs for the design & manufacture of dental instruments. One of the screw machine companies I evaluated was Marubeni Citizen-Cincom. I was very impressed with the quality and repeatability of their machines. I learned that when the Citizen watch company determined that they were not satisfied with the quality they could get of off the screw machines made in Switzerland, they decided to design and manufacture their own screw machines. I also love their Eco-Drive technology. So I decided to buy a titanium SkyHawk because I really liked the look and the "whiz-wheel" bezel (which at the time I still knew how to use). One unique thing I also thought was really cool about that model is that it only has the odd numbers displayed on the face, and it has all of the odd numbers displayed. That watch still ran within 3 seconds per month accurate when it was 17 years old, until the capacitor finally wore out, which I had replaced earlier this year and it's running again. So I like Citizen, ...for a quartz watch I think they're a super value for the money, and the Eco-Drive technology for a quartz is like the automatic technology for a mechanical.
A couple of details are not right after I had the capacitor replaced: 1) the UTC time is 3 hours fast 2) the minute hand moves in 1/4-minute increments, and the way it's set now the minute hand hits each full-minute mark when the second hand reaches 15 seconds not 00 seconds From the timing of the photo it appears the digital seconds and the analog seconds are not in-sync, but that's just apparently the timing of when the shutter opened and closed, because they appear to be synchronized when viewing. I gotta dig up the manual to see if there's anything I can do to fix those issues, or if I need to bring it back to the place where I got the capacitor replaced.
As you may know, some of the vintage Citizen divers (e.g. 52-0110) are definitely starting to draw the attention of collectors.
No, I didn't know that. Mine is brand-new - 200 clams from Jomashop. The vintage ones you're talking about are quartz or mechanical?
Nice! My grandfather always wore Citizens and my current collection actually started with a PCAT Titanium, and a year later I got the promaster diver in black just like the one you pictured. I wear both regularly along with my "nicer" pieces.
Ssshhhh!!! wait until I get one @Bob Neville i started reading your post and started thinking the Skyhawk was perfect for you lol. Then you got one lol. underrated tool watches. welcome!!!!
I looked up that model Citizen diver - beautiful classic look. If only I had a spare $2K just burning a hole in my pocket...
This was my first Citizen, picked it up about a year ago. My first choice for anything wet or dirty that I may be doing. Really like it, except for the stock strap. Now on an Uncle Seiko waffle strap and it's about perfect.
As an obvious Expos fan, what do you think of changing the date window to show the date in red? As a Dodgers fan, I'm thinking that would look perfect on the blue field.
I too find myself drawn into the vintage Citizen world having bought a stainless 70's dress watch 21 jewel for less than 20 cents, gave it to my WM to service and lens change, looks like new now. My WM at the time told me these were a very precisely made movement more so than the ETA Swiss stuff, on getting it back I put it to my ear to listen to its beating mechanical heart and was surprised to hear absolutely nothing, so damn quiet, completely stumped me. I now have another similar one based on the first and like the former the latter make almost zero noise when ticking, no other of my many of watches do that. I made the mistake of missing out on a 32 jewel ( I think that was the number) and have been kicking my self since as that particular one had extremely collectable (and growing) value. The oscillating weight arrangement was quite different than standard. Here is an interesting link to the current crop of Citizen Fugu divers that I have been lusting after, preferably in Titanium. https://www.watches88.com/cat_citizen.cfm
I like the idea. Never really been a Dodgers fan but there is a bit of Montreal connection with the Montreal Royals being the AAA affiliate for Brooklyn before they moved to LA.