Hi Chris, I bought an inexpensive brand new Citizen 42mm automatic Citizen ny004009e in the early - mid 1990's and the watch is still immaculate, still water tight (I swim with it regularly) keeps great time, and has never been serviced. How's that for great value👍. People often comment about the awkwardness of the left hand crown, but you get used to it and I actually really like the look and style of the watch and it is great on the wrist. This is probably the cheapest watch I own in my collection and honestly, it is one of my favourites, that will never be sold because of the history it has shared with me. A truly wonderful watch. Cheers Noel
Seiko is a great company, but I'm firmly in the Citizen camp. QC is a big deal to me, and having a sapphire crystal is important. Purely from a functional standpoint, the two are virtually identical (assuming no QC issues). Citizen deserves more recognition.
Good comparison Chris! I like this Seiko and the CITIZEN and own both (different models). However, you can get the Tissot Seastar 1000 for under $700 with an ETA movement, 80 hour power reserve, nicer bracelet, 300 meter depth and I think the Seastar is a much better looking watch. Seiko keeps raising their prices while not delivering any substantial improvements.
At the price of the seiko there are so many options, tissot, mido, glycine, Christopher ward and then so many independent /microbrands. The only prices I would buy a seiko at are under $500 or grand seiko. The only exception would be the sharp edge series.
There’s no accounting for taste. I think the Sea Star is one of the worst looking watches on the market. It ticks all the boxes but I’d never wear one.
glad to see you still have your sbdc061.....i was torn between the 061 and the sbdc051. i bought the 051 around the same time you got your 061.......I still have my 051 too!!
You should’ve compared the Pro Master to a king Turtle or king Samurai, Specs and price are closer. My SPB087 is on another level. It’s not prefect but I see and feel the difference in comparison to the Citizen.
I love my seikos and orients i have and always wanted an automatic citizen. Now i will with this nicely done watch. Hope this brings seiko down from their cloud and start pricing lower and giving more for less price. Good for you citizen. Just keep pricing low and slow is the way to our liking.
Seiko SBDC in this case. I think there is a visual illusion with these case designs, and its best to measure not the case, but the bezel tip to tip, as I think the SBDC is more like a 41-42mm, however the bezel width is quite thin leading to more dial space, which kind of makes wear like a big 41-42m at times. I owned it, and probably would rebuy again mainly because the "premium" feel quality is higher on it than say a Promaster, but alas, the price says it all. I still own the Pepsi Promaster NY0086, and I will probably sell it because it feels a tad cheap in wrist, but its an overall cool design and colour scheme. I still haven't found my perfect Sub $1k pepsi bezel dive watch.
Great review only issue I have is your prices I have the citizen Pepsi version and I've had it about a year now keeps excellent time I bought it brand new with international warranty for 285 which means I could buy all three of them Batman can the cream colored dial. For the price of your Seiko
I've never understood why the crown on the automatic citizen is at the 8 and the eco drive is at the 4 (should be the other way round) Personally of the two I would go with the citizen but I would go for the eco drive version. Honestly unless the seiko offers something that no other watch does, then there just is no value in them.
I guess its something to do with protection. Since it does not have crown protection. They opted to put it at the 8hr mark where it get less accidental bumps.
I love sbdc061 … fantastic look . However I haven’t seen one example that lined up . I’m come close to buying it so many times and I may still but wherever seiko was making these really suffered with the alignment issue.
@@frankbcn2223 I told my seiko ad when you get one in that lines up I’ll buy it … still waiting. True story … and I don’t me a hair off I mean terrible
At least Chris it’s a genuine Seiko with a misaligned bezel!🤪👍🏼 I have both brands, love both, but for the price point & ongoing quality issues with Seiko, I’d go with the Citizen.
Worth adding that these upgraded Fugus have been on the market for long enough that you can get one shipped to your door new with warranty for between 200 and 300usd if you aren’t picky about colors. There’s no comparison at that price point, the Citizen takes it. Considering how many of these 44mm Fugus have been produced, it’s time for someone to start making an aftermarket bracelet for them.
Thanks for doing this comparison, Chris. I wanted to buy the Seiko last year, but after trying it on, I couldn't justify the purchase because of the alignment issues and the bezel wobble. At that price point, Seiko should do better. Seiko is better looking/more refined though. Cheers!
First thing I notice, is that the bezel on the Seiko is a little off... shocker. Very slight but still, come on Seiko. This shouldn't be an on going issue at this point, expecially on a $1000 + watch. Why would anyone pay for a Seiko... I gave up on them a long time ago, after more than a few "issues". And for the price it's just not worth it even if you don't have issues, there are just so MANY other alternatives that are giving you MORE for your money. You can buy a better strap for the Citizan that would be beat than the Seiko, with the savings you get.
Outside of Seiko having the better movement. The Citizen is the nicer looking, and better watch to me because of the quality. The Lume I think is equal. Some may like the Seiko only because the color is different. As far as brightness I think they're equal.
Wow, this was a fantastic video! I really love your detailed approach. How's the timing on your SBDC061? I just picked up an SPB147, and I'm curious what the long term accuracy of the movement is (6R movement family..). Thanks for a great video!
Im sorry I have to put a 2nd comm.on. So Seiko can put a entry lvl movement in their watches, and thats ok. But Citizen should have the 9series inside, WELL wait flr the Chalkenger, buy it and search for a QC issue. You cant find it, because they put effort in the quality production. Citizen puts more into quality, Seiko is overhyped.
I prefer the Citizen with one exception. I do not care for the green face and bezel. Please Citizen make this watch with a black face and all black bezel!
Seiko might have the little better bracelet, initially better lume, BUT its misaligned like hell. As for the movements, both are entry lvl, Seiko with more power reserve thats it. It would be nice if you can put them on a timegrapher, because I find the miyota movement more accurate. And then the price, who wants to tell me the Seiko is worth the double??? With their QC issues way overpriced. Citizen is the better watch for the money. Like always this is my personal opinion.
Yo soy amante de Seiko más que de citizen pero se está viendo desde hace un tiempo que Citizen quiere volver ala relojería mecánica y no a alterado sus precios como entre que lo está aciendo ttuyosa.kraken serie 8 y con la capacidad que tiene aora mismo igual le hace mucho daño a Seiko bel calibre 9015 aunque la patente la tengo Miyota fue desarrollada en suiza por una manufactura del grupo citizen especializada en calibres y con las acquisicion del grupo de otras casas suizas si divide sus líneas en dos eco Drive y mecánico ya que se centró al 95 por ciento en los eco Drive citizen buelve a ser el águila imperial de Japón y digo me va más Seiko pero viendo sus creaciones actuales compró también citizen además de ser coleccionista los últimos el fugu 200 súper titanio y el Ttayusa tifany vencantadoby el nyo120-01x 200 m driver para verlo algún cronógrafo automático tendría que sacar
I always wonder what the bezel outside diameter of these watches, but I couldnt find any diffinitive info on the internet. Everybody just measures the case where the bezel actually dictates the visual size of the watch.
Fantastic review Chris . To me as nice as this Citizens is with its new upgrades this one is a no brainer . Seiko all the way . If you had a Citizens with a 9000 series movement then that would make a much more interesting comparison/competition. Your Seiko SBDC061 to me is far superior in this comparison. Chris just curious did you keep the Blumo or put it on the chopping block?