Which is better, Seiko or Citizen? Which is better, Seiko or Citizen?

Both Seiko and Citizen are very good watches, and there are many overlapping products in terms of price between the two brands. So which of these two brands of watches is better and more worth buying?

It depends on personal choice. If it is a high-end mechanical watch, Seiko is better, and Citizen's Eco-Drive watch has few rivals in the world. Therefore, it is not easy to compare the two. It depends entirely on personal preference and budget. For example, the Seiko green-faced GMT watch recommended below is a very good model.

Grand Seiko's Hi-Beat 36,000 GMT watch caused a craze a few years ago, and the SBGJ005 limited edition with a green dial and orange hands was the most talked about. Grand Seiko will naturally not forget this highly acclaimed watch. The brand will once again launch a new watch with the same color scheme this year, presenting a different dial texture.

This year's Hi-Beat 36000 GMT Limited Edition SBGJ227 has a radial pattern on the dial, which looks a bit like wickerwork. However, Grand Seiko claims that this design expresses the image of a peacock spreading its tail. The most noteworthy detail is that the price of the new watch is slightly lower than its predecessor, and the production volume is also higher.

Another difference between the new Hi-Beat 36000 GMT SBGJ227 and its 2014 predecessor is the logo. After Grand Seiko officially became independent from Seiko this year (a low-key restructuring of the brand), its brand logo "GS Grand Seiko" was placed above the dial of all new watches. The "GS" logo and "GMT" text are both orange, while the 24-hour digital scale is white (it was orange on the previous SBGJ005). However, this is only a small change, and the shape of this watch is basically the same as the previous one.

Let's first review some basic information about the Hi-Beat 36000 GMT SBGJ series. The 9S86 is based on the 9S85 automatic movement, which adds a GMT function to the large three-hand and date functions, allowing the watch to display a second time zone in a 24-hour format.

It belongs to Grand Seiko's "Hi-Beat" movement family, which means that its frequency is also 5Hz (36,000bph). Zenith's El Primero chronograph movement is undoubtedly the most famous 5Hz movement in the world, but such products are still relatively rare until now. Therefore, high-frequency movements have become a unique selling point of Grand Seiko.

It is generally believed in the industry that a higher movement frequency will bring higher timekeeping accuracy, and the movement of the second hand will be smoother than the common 4Hz movement. Of course, Grand Seiko's own Spring Drive movement can easily surpass the Hi-Beat movement in terms of timekeeping accuracy and second hand movement.

The brand claims a daily accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds (static test), but Seiko is notoriously conservative when it comes to accuracy data. A high-frequency movement consumes more power, but the 9S86 still achieves a respectable 55 hours of power reserve.

The brand has not yet released the back of this watch, but it is conceivable that the back should be similar to the SBGJ005 in 2014. In order to highlight the uniqueness of the limited edition, the SBGJ005 not only has a richer color scheme than the black and white models in the same series, but also has an "anodized" titanium winding rotor, which looks like rusty brass. Later limited editions such as the Hi-Beat 36000 GMT SBGJ021 also made some interesting craftsmanship on this hollow winding rotor.

Like its 2014 predecessor, the 40mm diameter stainless steel case is water-resistant to 100 meters, and Seiko claims that this case design is a "modern interpretation" of the 1967 44GS watch. The case thickness of 14.4mm makes this moderately sized watch more imposing on the wrist. The brand claims that its polishing technique called "Zaratsu" makes the mirror-polished part of the case smooth as silk and makes the hands sharper. The anti-glare sapphire crystal of this watch is curved inside and outside to minimize the distortion effect. Seiko even describes this crystal as "High Definition".

SEIKO watches are mid-range watches.

First of all, Seiko watches are mid-to-high-end in the watch industry, known for their excellent performance, and are one of the four famous watches in Japan. It does not require external energy and is completely self-sustaining. It only needs light energy to drive, but can be connected to the GPS network. Its accuracy and stability are levers, and its standards are more stringent than those of the Swiss Observatory. Parts and movements are all self-produced and assembled, with quality assurance, small differentiation, and convenient maintenance. In addition to the quality of the watch, even the appearance is impeccable.

Secondly, in terms of appearance and price, Seiko watches are novel, fashionable and classic, and are deeply loved by people from all walks of life in China. The color matching is very elegant and high-end, simple and easy to use, and the style design is very simple, with a sense of art. Seiko watches Premier series is fashionable and trendy, with a price starting from 2,500, suitable for young men and women who are at the forefront of fashion. The Grand series is not exaggerated at all, and takes the high-end ordinary route, with a price starting from 10,000.

Citizen is a well-known watch brand in Japan. Almost everyone in Japan knows this brand. Although Japan is not a major watchmaking country, Citizen is also quite famous in the world. At present, there is a strict classification of watch grades in the world, including special grade watches, first-class watches of category 1, second-class watches of category 1, first-class watches of category 2, second-class watches of category 2, third-class watches, fourth-class watches, and fifth-class watches. Citizen watches in Japan currently belong to the fifth-class watches, which are mid-range watches.

Most of the watches in the fifth category are Japanese brand watches, such as Seiko, Citizen, Casio, etc. Although there is still a certain gap compared with some internationally renowned Swiss watch brands, they are also famous brand watches. The quality is also strictly controlled, so consumers do not need to worry too much.

Citizen authenticity identification method 1: look at the price

Online prices can be relatively low, but there is a limit. If the price of a watch is 60% lower than the market price, it is very likely not genuine. The movement of a fake genuine watch is exactly the same as the appearance of the genuine watch, and the price is also relatively cheap, but the quality is very different. If you want an original new watch, the price will not be less than 600 yuan. Due to the high cost, the price will not be too cheap.

Citizen's second method of identifying authenticity: Look at the outer packaging

The packaging of parallel imports is often different, especially the gift bags. The packaging boxes of fake Citizen watches are often imitated, which are relatively thin and rough. As for the gift bags, they are usually not included, or simply come with a separate bag. Therefore, buyers can go to the local counter to understand the outer packaging of the watch they are buying, and then compare.

Citizen's third method of identifying authenticity: Look at the appearance of the watch

The dial coating of genuine watches is clear, the time scale and the Citizen logo font are finely crafted and have regular edges. The red part of the dial coating of fakes is more obvious, and the Citizen logo font is rough. The back cover of genuine watches is engraved with the watch information, which is consistent with the information of the single product barcode configured when you purchased it. It is unique, and the single product barcode of each watch is different, which can be verified by the single product barcode. However, the handwriting engraved on the back cover of fakes is relatively blurred, and the barcodes of each watch are mostly the same.

The bracelet and clasp of a genuine Citizen watch are finely crafted and exquisite, with no obvious signs of polishing. Each connection block of the metal bracelet is full and natural, and the strap is firm and not loose, and has no symmetrical patterns. Watches with clear signs of bracelet processing must be counterfeit Citizen watches.

Citizen's method of identifying authenticity four: look at the tag

Authentic watches must have a tag. The ink on fake tags sometimes diffuses, and the color surface has a slight color difference compared to the real tag. The model number on the authentic tag may be very faint, but generally will not diffuse.

Citizen's five ways to identify authenticity: Look at the price tag

The label of the genuine product is usually printed on the colored side. If the genuine CITIZEN price is labeled, the label is white, while the fake movement watch has all kinds of colors, green, yellow, blue, red... It doesn’t matter where it is printed, and sometimes it will even cover the model.

Citizen's Authenticity Identification Method 6: Look at the Watch Hands

The blue steel hands of fake Citizen watches are usually plated with pigments, which look a bit transparent, while the blue steel hands of genuine watches are produced by the metal heat treatment process, which looks darker and has low reflective intensity. In addition, the shape and length of the hands of genuine watches are consistent with the dial, which is generally not the case with fake watches.