Citizen chronograph model BL5100

B

billyp

Joined
Oct 21, 2002
Messages
196
does anyone have any info about this watch. i like the looks but after reading all the other watch posts here im so torn it isnt even funny and i need some reassurance about what to do. this watch seems ok, the price is about right but i dont want to drop around 400.00 on this watch when if can get something similar that is a superior product. thanks in advance for any info. here is a pic btw if you dont know what it looks like.


Citizen BL5100

Billyp
 
I am not familiar with that particular model, but I like the looks. I have owned several Citizen watches and have been pleased with all of them. My current "EDW" is a Citizen Titanium Skyhawk. Their Eco-Drive is a clever and practical system.

--Bob Q
 
You might find another watch you personally like better, but I don't think you'll find anything that's superior in any objective sense in that price range.
 
Unless you want to go mechanical you won't find a better watch than an Eco-Drive Citizen.

Simply put, no amount of money will get you a better quartz watch. Citizen makes the best quartz timepieces in the industry, hands down.

I would hesitate to get that particular model because of the integrated bracelet. This really limits what you can do with the watch, and if you plan to invest a significant amount of money into the thing it makes sense to leave yourself with some options down the road. Simply changing a strap can make a world of difference in the appearance and "feel" of a watch. It's also costly to buy a special bracelet from the manufacturer if your is broken or damaged.

If you like that style I would recommend looking for something similar but with standard lugs instead of the integrated design. It may be a bit tough to find one, as both Seiko and Citizen have really been on an integrated strap jag the last few years or so.

Also, that watch is unlikely to go for anywhere close to $400 if you look around a bit. You can find it at www.princetonwatches.com for $269 shipped.

Personally if I had $400 to spend on one watch I would pick up a Poljot 3133 Chronograph and have about half that left over. Quality that would make a TAG wearer cry and a great in-house mechanical movement for about $200. I'm partial to the Cosmos 2 myself, but they have a very wide product range.
 
yeah i really want the pojlot, specifically the one in your avatar. they are really the only company im torn between. i just cannot decide if i want to worry about winding the watch every day. another concern is the water resistance, is it sufficient to scuba dive with. the manual says 10atm = swimming not diving with scuba, i know i dont plan on diving very much at near that depth but still that is what the manual says. i would buy the one with the glass back simply for the wow factor, but i would guess that is just another thing to break.

this is an insanely hard decision for me because im really cheep and dont want to settle for crap and have to replace it 5 years down the road with another moderate investment. anyway thanks for all the input so far. i will take all these into consideration and any more input would be great. thanks

Billyp
 
I wouldn't worry about winding every day. It takes less than a minute and quickly becomes just another bit of routine. I actually prefer handwound watches to autos, but that's quite rare.

Personally I'm not a believer in taking any high-end watch diving. If I am diving, an expensive watch is just another distraction. There are plenty of watches that can go deep for cheap, and I really see no reason to drag a real nice one down to that environment. The fish certainly don't care.

If you get a Poljot you should definately get the glass back. Thats a great way to appreciate the mechanism in the watch, and explain it to the Timex and G-Shock crowd. While conceivably it could represent a failure point, I can't imagine what ordinary activity would cause this to happen. Mine has held up just fine.

If you really have to have a nice watch that is also good for diving I would recommend one of the Seiko 7S26 auto divers. Not nearly as nice or refined as a Poljot or as advanced as the Citizen, but a good enough watch and perfectly at home in deep water.
 
This is probably old news, but keep in mind that while true watch nuts nearly all prefer mechanicals, it isn't for their timekeeping. ;) Even cheap electronic watches are more accurate than the best mechanicals.

My Citizen Skyhawk actually has a thermocouple in it to adjust for temperature variations in the crystal's frequency. Based on six months of testing it seems to be losing just over 1 second per month.

Do I need that kind of accuracy? Heck no! But it does make my geeky little heart go pitter-pat. :D

--Bob Q
 
Originally posted by bquinlan

My Citizen Skyhawk actually has a thermocouple in it to adjust for temperature variations in the crystal's frequency. Based on six months of testing it seems to be losing just over 1 second per month.
Click to expand...

Like I said, best quartz watches in the world.;)
 
say i go with the poljot. what is the weight like on them i kind of prefer a little heavier watch. i read the post about another poljot owner here posted but im still curios about the band as well i think i want the metal bracelet do you know anything about the quality there? thanks again

Billyp
 
The Poljot bracelets do not have solid end links, but are otherwise very nice. All solid stainless links, none of this folded sheetmetal stuff.

I really like the smaller link one with the two-button clasp. I'm probably going to pick one up for my Cosmos pretty soon.

The 3133 chronos have a good amount of weight to them, but they aren't a boat anchor like some other men's watches. The Cosmos is actually a bit smaller than most, and I've never had a problem with the weight.
 
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