Move Over, Seiko — Is Citizen The New King Of Affordable Japanese Watches?

Seiko has long been the default choice for affordable and bulletproof mechanical timekeepers. But is Citizen now starting to take over that role? There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that it is, so let’s examine this topic today.

My first article for Fratello asked: “Is the Seiko magic slipping away?” You see, like so many fellow enthusiasts, my watch-collecting journey started with a Seiko. In my case, it was a Seiko 5 SNZG11J1 in the jungles of Thailand and Myanmar. My father had gifted it to me as a reliable mechanical timekeeper for my first big assignment overseas. Then, when I was back in my home country of Australia, the first vintage watch that I bought that heralded my interest in the hobby was a Seiko 7002. That watch is now in the hands of a friend as I gifted it to him for his 30th birthday.

Fast-forward to the start of 2023 (and the beginning of my writing career with Fratello), and it was clear that Seiko had started to lose some of the rugged and affordable appeal it once had. I tried to explain it in this article. In short, I noted that recent models from Seiko’s Prospex line (specifically, the Seiko “Turtle” SRPE93) highlighted how the watchmaker had significantly upped asking prices without commensurate rises in quality control, movement accuracy, or durability.

Seiko’s challenge with brand identity

Now, it is very difficult to deny the incredible success of the heritage reissues that have come from Seiko in the last decade. We have seen a multitude of re-released versions of past classics, including the King Seiko KS 44-9990, the “Slim Turtle,” and the “Willard.” But those models, though great watches, identified a broader issue: each once represented the pinnacle of Seiko manufacturing.

The King Seiko KS 44-9990, for example, was supposed to compete with Grand Seiko and Swiss watches in accuracy. King Seiko was an in-house competitor to Grand Seiko back in the 1960s. When Seiko first released this re-edition (for the masses), it did so with the 6R31 caliber. The 6R31, while a solid movement, did not do the King Seiko name credit, particularly with poor official tolerances in timekeeping. Recent updates have not resolved this issue.

An opening for Citizen

Fast-forward to now, and Seiko has re-released — or perhaps you could say “updated” (again) — parts of the King Seiko line. Now some of the models in it are a much truer representation of what the original King Seiko once represented and feature a nice 6L35 caliber ticking inside. The problem, however, is that these models will set you back more than €3,000.

Seiko has a growing challenge when it comes to what it represents as a watchmaker. Whereas it used to clearly represent value, that image has slowly eroded over the last decade. My colleague Daan recently explored this shift. Essentially, as Seiko continues to move upmarket with its pricing strategy, it risks alienating the customers who have gravitated toward the brand because of its more affordable offerings. It’s not an easy situation for Seiko to navigate, and some people find themselves gravitating toward Citizen instead.

The Citizen Promaster range 

Let’s move downfield in pricing to where Seiko once reigned supreme. The sub-€500 segment used to have a plethora of very solid dive and tool watches from Seiko. Now, however, this area is increasingly dominated by what Citizen has to offer. In this price bracket, Citizen offers a multitude of avant-garde and more classic designs, including things we don’t see from Seiko, such as luminescent dials. Recently, our managing editor Nacho wrote about the Citizen NY0040-09W. This luminescent-dial dive watch comes with a really solid automatic movement and a 200m depth rating for less than €300!

My colleague Lex also wrote about what has become known as the “Orca,” the BN0230-04E. This watch is equipped with an excellent Eco-Drive movement and costs just €279. It gets its name not only from the cool Orca on the case back but also because the dial is inspired by the black and white patterns found on orca’s bodies. It’s a handsome rendition of naturally occurring patterns found in our seas reflected in watch design. If you’re after something more akin to a classic look, Citizen has you covered with other mechanical watches in its Promaster range, which Nacho wrote about here. If I were a new watch enthusiast today, I would find a lot more interesting entry-level dive watches while surfing the Citizen website than the Seiko website.

It’s not just Citizen dive watches

Granted, some recent Seiko 5 releases have been strong. One’s mind is cast back to the success of the limited-edition SRPL05 and SRPK17 models. These watches were effective re-editions of classic Seiko 5s. But, like IWC, Seiko is keeping some of its best modern references as limited editions!

Meanwhile, Citizen has been going from strength to strength with its Tsuyosa line. These watches feature a multitude of handsome dial colors, a solid automatic caliber, and an integrated bracelet. You can even pick up one of the Small Second versions for €379! Frankly, Citizen seems to just be doing a better job with designing and releasing watches in the sub-€500 price bracket. And we, as watch enthusiasts, are the winners.

Concluding thoughts 

Now, this is certainly a personal take on something that I’ve noticed in the last few years. Many out there may disagree, and that is okay! Citizen and Seiko both have their fans and loyal supporters. I happen to love both brands. There is no denying that Seiko continues to make great watches. The brand’s back catalog is still ripe for further exploration too. It just seems increasingly clear to me that Citizen is working extra hard to claim Seiko’s once-dominant position in a certain price zone. That, for us enthusiasts, is a good thing. We get more variety as Seiko prices continue to increase.

What do you think, Fratelli? Is Citizen releasing more compelling options in the sub-€500 price bracket for you? I am interested in reading your thoughts and opinions in the comments. I can tell you one thing for sure: I am now in the market for a Citizen watch.