Citizen Men's JY0010-50E Eco-Drive Skyhawk A-T Titanium Watch

Never had a nice watch before so I did a bit of research. My usual watch for the past 35 years has been a Casio G-Shock in the $40 to $70 range and they have lasted a long time in both military and civilian service. I decided that it was time for a dressier watch. Citizen is the brand I chose because of the value. To call them the Chevy or bargain basement of fine watches would be doing them a disservice. The Tag Heuer's, Patek Phillip's and Hublot's of the world really offer nothing more than my Casio or Citizen as far as features, timekeeping, etc. The only thing a Patek can do, IMHO, is announce to the world that you have no idea that accurate time in a wrist mounted device could be obtained for less than the price of a luxury car In fact the Casio G-shock can do something that a $60,000 Patek Phillip cannot, survive a fall from 2 stories with no obvious damage. I bought the Citizen Titanium Skyhawk because it WAS very much like my Solar powered Atomic Casio G-Shock. Amazon had the best price hands down when I bought it.Pros- Light 118 grams before removing any links (almost 1/3 lighter than the stainless steel version)- comfortable band- Easy to see the hands day and night- Lots of features stopwatch, timer, Alarms- solar powered- atomic clock synchronization with radio towers in either USA, Germany or Japan (automatic or on-demand)- built in synch signal tester to let you know if your location has good synch signal- switches from home to a 2nd time zone of your choice- LCD displays have a back-light- water-resistant to 200 meters/666 feetCons (these are really just nitpicks nothing really bad)- weird decision to have a UTC (new term for GMT) 24 hour clock dial instead of letting you chose to make that a time zone of YOUR Choice if they had done that, they could have freed up the larger LCD display to show Day/Date most of the time instead of making you chose between 2nd time zone and Day/Date.- circular slide rule dial on outer ring of watch to calculate various piloting functions. I'm a pilot...I'll use and electronic E6B and a mechanical E6B as a backup but I won't fiddle with the tiny numbers on my watch while flying. If you want to put something, put an elapsed 60 minutes time dial as on a dive watch...something simple and useful...or just leave it plain.- This isn't so much a con as a caveat. I saw several posts about how people's watches wouldn't synch or they couldn't set this or that feature. YMRTFM (You Must Read The Freaking Manual) For example, if the mode arrow isn't set on CAL, TME or RX-S the watch won't synch, Some of the directions need to be re-written as they are a bit obtuse and some instructions that should be grouped together are not. The table of contents could be expanded and clarified a bit as well. Setting the 2nd time zone (world time) was particularly hard to find (page 33-34).- You need to insure that the antenna (9 o'clock) has a clear shot at the atomic synch broadcasting tower (Fort Collins CO in the USA.) I get the best results on the 2nd floor with a WNW facing window. My Casio was much more sensitive and will pick up the synch signal in any place on the 2nd floor. If you live in a metal framed building or an interior room, you may need to do an on-demand synch outside every few days if the watch tells you the signal is too weak for automatic synch while you sleep.Again let me reinforce that the cons are more in the nature of nitpicks and I really love the watch. The Amazon website had it listed as 15.4 oz (437.6 grams) but that is a weird typo. The steel Skyhawk is 176 grams or 6.2 oz and this watch is 118 grams or 4.16 oz. It weighs about the same as my plastic Casio G-Shock. Although it's rated for 200 m/666 ft it's NOT rated for scuba diving. I think you would be foolish to dive with this watch for several reason. Many dive computers have a time function and it would be too easy to smash it under a tank on a dive boat or scratch the face on a coral head.

Edit 20140323: Two years later and still an excellent watch! The only gripe I have is that it hardly ever shows fully charged (charge indicator pointing to far right charge marking). I can't get it to indicate full charge under any form of artificial light, and it must sit outside in direct Florida sunlight for about 30 to 45 minutes to indicate a full charge. Just wearing it outside in full sunlight without putting effort in to pointing the fact at the sun results in the same annoying 3/4 charge level. It was not like this when I first started wearing it. Also, I have managed to scratch the crystal a few times. I have read that it can be changed to sapphire by Citizen for a fee, so I may do that when the scratches build up to be noticeable when you are not looking for them.Original Feb 2012 review below.....I have been wearing and using this watch frequently for almost a month now and I am extremely happy with it. This is my 2nd Citizen Eco-Drive watch, the first being a  Citizen Men's BL5180-57L Eco-Drive Perpetual Calendar Watch  which I have had for 9 years and it still works great. There are many detailed reviews about the Skyhawk so I will simply address a few things that should contribute.First of all, the main complaint I see about this watch is the fact that the calendar display is only for the world time. I believe this is actually logical considering the primary target audience for this watch (pilots). If you are a pilot, or frequent long distance traveler, it is very likely that you know the day and date where you are right now, so the most useful information would be the day and date of your destination time zone. If you care about the date in your current location, then change the world time zone to your current location! It is far more useful, and logical, to have the watch tell you information you don't know like the destination time/day/date instead of information you likely do know already since you certainly know your departure day/date by the calendar or other thing you used to show up at the airport. Also, if you are communicating with people internationally, it is better to have their day/date displayed since you can correctly say something like "happy Friday!" while it may be Thursday or Saturday where you are now. And yes, as someone posted, I could see them using the 2nd button for displaying the local day/date/zone instead of the last sync information, but I like how it works as-is. I personally keep the "local time" set to HOM with my time offset, and the world time set to NYC which is exactly the same offset that I configure HOM for. Then I get the local date on the digital display with the local time on the analog display. If I travel, I just change the world time to the destination.Another common complaint is about the lack of sapphire crystal usage for the dial window. I would agree that this would be a nice feature, but really the material they did use looks great and has very low reflection. Also, I have already bumped and scraped it up against metal (in server racks) and it is still in perfect condition. Only thing I'd say, this is not exactly a cheap watch, just take it off before you do anything that may damage it. I recommend  Oakley 07-234 Large Watch Soft Vault Storage Case  to put it in.Yet another complaint is about the hands covering the LCD at certain times of the day. Tilt the watch and look under the hands? No matter what, the hands will cover something on the display. I have only once had to tilt the watch to see a display, and it was actually the UTC display.I have held the stainless steel version of this watch, and I definitely prefer this version in titanium. Unless you like to have a very heavy watch on your wrist, don't get the stainless version, buy this one instead.Some people say they have issues with the radio sync. I am in Florida which is pretty far away from the broadcast origin in Colorado. However, from inside my apartment, sitting in a wooden watch box (this one:  Diplomat 31-57614 Cherry Wood Finish with Clear Top and Cream Leather Interior 10 Watch Storage Case ), it consistently receives a high signal. However, at my girlfriends place, it varies between high and low depending where I place it and the weather. But, she refers to her place as "the bunker" since all cell phones have a ruff time working inside it. To me, this says the receiver is very good. I have also checked the watch against known good sources of "atomic time" (other radio controlled clocks, internet-based sources, WWV shortwave audio) and it is spot on accurate. If you are having trouble with signal reception, check the manual for tips on how to improve it (like setting the watch down with the 9-o'clock position pointing at the signal source).One more complaint that I've seen a few time is the fact that you need to pull out the crown to change modes. This is actually a design feature I am very happy about. Several times I would find my other Citizen on a different mode then it should have been because I somehow rubbed up against the watch and rolled the crown to a different mode. I do not find myself changing modes often, maybe 1-3 times a day to use the timer for lunch or some other function. It is still much easier to select a mode then most watches that have this many features which require you to push a button many times to get the right mode, and then maybe you may miss it and need to keep pushing it until you get back to the mode you wanted. There is also a nice tactile, and slightly audible, click as you roll through the modes; so changing it in complete darkness is possible.Another note, the LCD backlight is very good, along with the lume on the hands and hour markers.I wear this watch more then any other watch I own. The exception is when I know I will be doing something that may give whatever watch I'm wearing a beating, then I put on a cheaper plastic watch. I highly recommend this to anyone that would find its feature list useful, and wants a sharp looking watch which doesn't need battery changes, or watch winders, or time correction (yes, it even changes itself for Daylight Savings Time automatically!).

Maybe we all have our different passions/weak spots. Well, watches are mine. I love titanium watches for their durability and incredible lack of weight. This 50E has more functions than grains of sand on beach! One small issue is I sometimes need a magnifying glassed to read detail on the face of the watch. They are that small. I have 2 degrees but still find myself digging out the instructions to manage all the functions. That was the bad news. The good news is I was able to figure out all the major functions and some of the minor functions in about 45 minutes. Overall the watch is a beautiful time piece. I took it to a Citizens jeweler and they sized the bracelet at no charge. Fit is great. Love the lack of weight on my wrist. Nice readable lighted dial at night. Function hands glow at night. EZ to multiply and divide on the bezel. That's probably all I will learn with that function as I don't fly. I've had the watch about 10 days and no scratches anywhere and I have worn it constantly. The atomic clock in Fort Collins, Co. is a low reception reading in W.TX. where I live but it does work. I went outside and was still registering a low signal. Inside my home or outside made no difference in signal strength but as long as it worked (which it did) all is well. Automatic reception and time update checked ever night as programmed. The watch came fully charged from Citizens. Bottom line the watch has an incredible number of functions which is a plus and a minus. The good news is one can use what one finds practical and ignore those that are not used. All-in-all a beautiful functional watch with ALL the bells and whistles!

Foi uma compra para repor um igual que ja tinha mas roubaram-me o outro num assalto à mão armada

Vorab, dies ist meine 3. Skyhawk weil ich überzeugt von der Technik, der Qualität und Haltbarkeit bin. Dank Titangehäuse und Armband ist sie extrem leicht und stabil. Natürlich muss sich intensiv in das Handbuch eingearbeitet werden um alle Funktionen zu beherrschen. Die Uhr bietet 3 Funkzonen weltweit. Dies ist dem Modelljahr 2008 geschuldet. Mittlerweile sind es 5 Funkzonen aber wer braucht die schon ständig? Regelmäßige Ablage auf dem Fensterbrett ist im Winter hilfreich um die Ladung konstant hoch zu halten. Der Akku hält nach meiner Erfahrung rund 8-10 Jahre und muss dann getauscht werden. Wer eine robuste und genaue Uhr sucht, sollte sich die Skyhawk Serie zulegen.

I bought this watch as a supplement to my existing Eco-Drive watch I bought on a cruise some 6 years ago. My existing watch is my first and it served me fantastically - no battery change and an excellent time keeper. This new watch is certainly an one up as it is titanium, nuclear time keeping so it is ALWAYS accurate. I read some review that people are not happy with their watch. For me, it is perfect coming to me from Amazon. I recommend it especially at the price Amazon is selling them at.The only downside to this watch is that the crystal is not flat, rather it is slightly curved that magnifies. Personally I do not like it as it looks like a "knock off" watch (this is not a knock off). I got used to it now and it is not too bad. Mind you, because of the magnifying effect of the crystal, I had comments from people saying that my watch is "ginormous"Great watch. Really accurate. Looks real expensive and titanium. What more I need to say?

Cette montre est magnifique, de bonne taille mais très légère grâce au titane. Expédiée du royaume uni sans aucun problème et dans un temps très acceptable ( 5 jours). Je suis entièrement satisfait de mon achat.

I'm giving this five stars as its a great watch, but I'd have preferred to give 4.5.I ordered one and when it arrived I started working my way through the instruction manual. However as I practised with the slide rule bezel it became stiff and felt like there was some kind of grit underneath. It was making a grinding noise as well. This is not what I paid for, so I returned it.When the replacement arrived I checked the slide rule bezel to see if it had the same problem. Sure enough, half a dozen twists and it was grinding away. Having this happen with two watches in a row suggests a quality control problem, so rather than return it immediately I did a bit of Googling. I couldn't find anything about new units, but with other Citizen watches with stiff rotating bezels the two things to try seemed to be warm soapy water and a length of thread pulled around under the bezel to clean underneath it. I did both of these, and about a meter of button thread and a couple of rinses later I had the bezel rotating easily again, and its been no trouble since (I've had it about a week now). Disclaimer: this worked for me, but it is not in the instructions and might invalidate your warranty if anything goes wrong. If you try this then make very sure that the crown wheel is pushed fully in, as the watch is not waterproof when it is pulled out. UPDATE: its been perfectly fine for a few months now.Apart from that problem the build quality is good. Everything feels smooth and precise.The rest of the watch is complicated, and you need good eyesight to make the most of it. There is a 24 hour UTC dial, which is useful if you are in a profession like aviation or computers where UTC is frequently used. The top right dial (the one always covered by the minute hand in the product shots) is actually a 24 hour version of the main hour hand, so you can see whether your local time is AM or PM. Personally I'd have preferred a bigger digital display instead. The remaining two dials are functional indicators rather than telling the time.The crown wheel (the one on the right you pull out and turn) has two stops. The first one is for setting the mode in the bottom dial, and the second one is used in some modes to adjust things. The various combinations of buttons and crown wheel are complicated, and its worth working through the instructions a few times until you have it memorized. Watching all the various hands do their things is cool. I figure it must have 4 different electric motors (or maybe its one motor and a bunch of clutches). All the hands are under software control and always say exactly what the software wants them to. The main second and minute hands are obviously done by the same motor because the second hand spins rapidly around when the minute hand is being moved, but the hour hand has its own motor and if you watch carefully you can see it move at the start of every other minute.Stuff I really like about this watch:* Radio control means I don't have to set it. It checks the time three times each night, and you can check whether it received the time the following day by pressing one of the buttons. It works when in range of transmitters in Germany (meaning most of Western and Central Europe), USA and Japan. I live in on the south coast of the UK and reception is fine here. Outside those areas you can set the time manually. It also knows about DST in many countries. If you are in a country it doesn't know then you can switch that manually as well.* Solar power means no more batteries, which is nice. More importantly it means that I don't need to worry about finding a jeweller who can guarantee the water proofing, and I don't need to worry about shortening the battery life when I use power-hungry features. I haven't made a point of charging it, but the power indicator has stayed in zone 3 (out of 4) apart from a brief excursion into zone 2 when I was learning the controls and hence sending the hands spinning around a lot. UPDATE: the power indicator now stays firmly on full unless I deliberately waste power by keeping the light on.* The slide rule bezel is good for multiplication and division to within 1%, and there is an inner scale of hours and minutes to help with questions like "How far will you travel at 47 miles per hour in 1 hour and 25 minutes?" (Answer: about 66.5). Also useful for price comparison when abroad: set the rate and you can convert prices in both directions at a glance.* Its about two thirds the weight of my old watch.* The luminous hands remain visible throughout the night, unlike my old watch where they faded after a couple of hours.Niggles:* The previously mentioned tale of having to clean under the slide rule bezel.* The lens is mineral glass instead of sapphire, so at some point its going to get scratched. I gather you can opt for a sapphire replacement if you have it repaired, at extra cost. I would have expected this to at least be an option, and having had a sapphire lens on a previous watch I would have chosen it. UPDATE: Its been a few months now, and the glass is still unblemished: maybe they are using Gorilla Glass.* Likewise, the slide rule scales are painted on rather than etched, so I imagine they are going to wear off in time. UPDATE: the paint on a couple of numbers on the outer bezel have been damaged. The outer bezel is actually etched, so with care and a magnifying glass you can repaint the numbers by blobbing enamel paint on and then wiping off the excess.* The date on the right hand digital display (shown in "CAL" mode) is the date for the second time zone rather than the one shown by the watch hands. I can sort of see the logic here: the right hand display shows the time and date for the second time zone, and it would be confusing if it showed the time for the second zone and the date for the first. But its also potentially confusing if you are in a foreign country and see the date for your home. This really ought to be a configurable option.* You change mode by pulling the crown wheel out one notch and turning it. This is not easy to do with the watch on your wrist, so using the stopwatch or timer functions can mean taking it off unless you have strong fingers or good fingernails.* Its not waterproof when the crown wheel is pulled out. I won't swim or shower with it in case I forget this fact (I'm rather absent minded).* The alarms are too quiet to wake you up or to be heard anywhere with much ambient noise. I can see that putting a decently loud sounder in a watch is not going to be easy so I didn't expect anything different. But don't buy this as an alarm clock.Overall: this is a great watch with lots of features. Everything is perfectly usable despite the niggles above. Buy it for its features, but only if you have good close vision.