Serving up a high tech mix of analogue and digital is the long-serving Citizen JR3060-59F Skyhawk Titanium Eco-Drive Flight Chronograph watch.
One of Citizen’s solar-powered Eco-Drive range, the watch looks like it should be strapped on the arm of a lantern-jawed pilot, with two etched outer dials allowing users to calculate fuel consumption rates by lining up the dials.
We’re not sure that many people are going to have the faintest idea how to use them – or ever feel the need – but it’s just the sort of thing that blokes love to fiddle about with.
The watch’s face has two LCD panels for displaying world time, day/date, alarms, battery charge and other functions, wedged between three small analogue sub-dials.
These dials are for the selection of the eight modes, 24hr hand and a 2-hand UTC, while the high contrast clock face has fairly clear luminous markings and numbers.
The hands have luminous tips, but we were disappointed with the overall luminosity of the watch – they’re bright enough straight after lights out, but you’ll struggle to work out the time in the middle of the night.
Similarly, those with poor eyesight may find the LCD display a little tricky to read.
Made from titanium, the watch is very light on the wrist, has a full screw-on back and slightly domed mineral glass and feels like it can take a few knocks.
The strap looks equally tough and chunky and has a neat safety clasp and button release.
Unlike the wobbly dial on the Citizen E-Drive BL5250-53L watch, the multi-position crown was firm in action, and the LCD display made it fairly intuitive to make adjustments.
Rated as waterproof to 100 metres, this looks like a watch that may outlive you, and with internet prices hitting as low as £150, it looks great value.
Ratings
– Build
– Design
– Features
– Value for money
– Overall
I bought this model in 2004 via a US online store. I was in Baghdad at the time with the Army and this watch subsequently went through frozen negative 10 degrees centigrade nights to plus 55 degree days a few months later- not a bad spread! It also went with me to the northern tip of Indonesia following the Boxing Day tsunami where it lived through intense humidity and the monsoon season without skipping a beat. I put it in the cupboard a few years ago when I bought a Speedmaster, but took it back out again last year – it automatically reset itself to the correct time and it has been my sailing/outdoor watch ever since. I think it will outlive me.
My wife bought this watch for me – brand new – from a Kiosk vendor in Dallas about 5 years ago. He gave it to us 1/2 price. The watch is a piece of art and toughness. It is built to last years. Recently I kept in a drawer because I ought a Brietlling watch. When I took it out after 4 or 5 months it adjusted to correct time automatically and to the second. I just hope the solar power cell in it lasts for ever!
I bought my watch in 2004 at an air show in Oshkosh, WI. It ran great until 2012 and then quit. I took it to Kays Jewelers in Ft Myers, Florida for repair. They charged me nearly $400.00 for repair and it ran for a year, then quit. Took it back, they sent it out, came back running-no charge! It ran for nearly another year, then quit again. Now back to repair shop-Hope it runs for more than a year this time!!!
I think I’d have just bought another one off eBay rather than carrying on with the repairs!
Work directly with Citizen, I have found their watch repair service to be fantastic and realistically priced. Fast too. I have a Blue Angels watch circa 1998 that has been repaired twice by them. The first time they replaced the entire case that I had damaged in a fall. The second time, 5 years later they replaced the entire movement and the Crystal.
i’ve had mine since 2004. Had the battery replaced twice. Otherwise, it has worked flawlessly.
Ten years and quite a few scratches later mine still works flawlessly. Only reason I don’t wear it anymore is that smart watches have too much appeal for me.
Bought my Eco-Drive (the exact same one pictured above) in 2003 whilst in Germany. It has never needed a service, tune-up, nothing. It’s never quit on me before, either. All-round terrific watch – so impressed with it I’ve just bought the Eco-Drive Navihawk AT and can’t wait for it to be delivered!