This watch wears far smaller than its stated 42-millimeter width, and a good portion of that is the proportionally small 46-millimeter lug-to-lug length. The Citizen Nighthawk is a masterfully designed aviation watch that punches well above its weight, as most of the best Citizen watches do. The Citizen Nighthawk was born of that, and is one of the best watches for pilots, since not only does it hearken back to that moment in time, but it also actually stands head and shoulders above any pilot’s watch in this price category, if you can forgive the complex dial. Since then, technology has progressed, but at that moment in time, the idea of the wrist-mounted flight instrument was born. ![]() The strap is replaceable, at least, but the crystal is an unfortunate effect of buying in this price bracket.īack in the days before redundant computer systems in aircraft cockpits, pilots would have to track things like fuel consumption by using slide rules. Other endemic issues at this price point are the strap and crystal, with the strap being stiff, uncomfortable, and having fewer holes to properly adjust with, and the crystal being mineral glass that scratches more than sapphire would. The second hand may not always align with the individual indices, which is mostly an issue for those who are nitpickers like me. Topping it all off, this watch has great luminescence and readability, which is something that field watches can often lack.Īt this price point, it’s not all amazing stellar performance, and the biggest issue is one inherent to quartz movements at this price: alignment. This is a watch that won’t quit, being solar-powered, so it’ll stay charged as long as you aren’t subterranean for six months straight. Many field watches are content with 50 or even 30 meters of water resistance, but the Citizen 8180 carries a much safer 100 meters, meaning that this is a watch that you can take near the water and be just fine. It is slim and compact, and its unisex design means that no matter who you are or what you’re wearing, this one will fit just fine and won’t easily snag or catch on clothing or other objects. The Citizen Garrison 8180 is, in my opinion, up there with the Seiko SNK in terms of the best budget field watches. This is a watch that’s poised to become a modern classic, which brings Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology to the world of field watches. The Citizen Garrison 8180, also known as the Citizen Chandler, hits all these points, and in some cases does so better than watches that cost double the MSRP. ![]() If I had to list characteristics that were necessary for a field watch to be considered “standard-issue,” it would be things like accuracy, long life, durability, visibility in all conditions, and dimensions that fit a wide array of body types. Another issue is that for all the talking that Citizen does about the scratch resistance of its Super Titanium, it opted for ordinary mineral crystal rather than sapphire, which while not abnormal in this price bracket, is something that’s fast becoming less common. I’d likely end up putting this on a nylon strap for amphibious use, and a leather strap for desk-diver duty. Additionally, the clasp is the only feature of the watch that’s less-than-adequate for diving, offering no wetsuit extension and only three holes for micro-adjusting. The weakest point of this watch is the bracelet, and it mars an otherwise-stellar watch, being a janky single-link affair that has much less flex than three- or five-link bracelets. ![]() Finally, this watch keeps good time, since it’s a Citizen Eco-Drive, which is guaranteed to be within plus or minus 15 seconds per day, and often performs much better. ![]() Being an ISO-certified diver’s watch, this watch has been individually tested for durability and features great luminescence and readability. Citizen uses a proprietary alloy of titanium, which they claim is much harder than standard Grade V titanium, making this watch all the more scratch-resistant and keeping it looking new for longer. The all-titanium construction keeps things lightweight, with this watch weighing in at 3.3 ounces and change, when adjusted for my wrist. The biggest selling point of this watch is that it takes advantage of space-age materials to improve upon an already-classic diver. Citizen isn’t content with simply releasing affordable solar-powered steel watches, and has updated this line with proprietary, scratch-resistant “Super Titanium.” The result is a watch that’s more durable - the lighter-weight diver that upgrades one of the top Citizen watches and keeps the brand fresh. Citizen Eco-Drive Divers are some of the most popular affordable dive watches, and that’s because they don’t slouch on capabilities, and outperform watches that cost twice as much.
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