Timex vs Citizen – what a dilemma. Here’s a quick guide that will help you decide which brand is best for you.
If you’re debating whether to buy a Citizen watch or a Timex watch, read this article. Despite whatever you’ve read before, there are pros and cons to each brand.
Let’s explore the ingenuity and technical expertise of both watchmakers and their heritages to determine which is best for you.
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Timex vs Citizen — Comparing the Two
You might recognize Citizen as the official timekeeper for the US Open tennis championship or its presence at Manchester United. But what many don’t realize is that its versatile range of affordable wristwatches is a cut above the rest.
Japanese brand Citizen is one of the world’s largest watch manufacturers. The company developed the Eco-Drive technology in 1976, with advantages that rendered many quartz watches irrelevant.
The solar-powered technology proved to be incredibly precise, even when exposed to darkness for months. Considering its pricing and quality, people often compare Citizen to Timex.
American company Timex began its story under the Waterbury Clock Company in 1854 but rebranded in 1944. The “Timex Corporation” saved the company from collapse, and it soon became one of the world’s most prolific watchmakers.
During the 1970s, Timex had to scramble to survive the Quartz Crises, propelled by Seiko’s electronic watches. As a result, it turned to digital computing technologies for a while before returning to analog watches.
The introduction of its Indiglo watch in the 1990s, however, marked a point when Timex began experiencing worldwide success. The company even played into the vintage watch craze, producing back catalog re-issues of its Marlin Mechanical watches.
To get a better understanding of how both of these brands compare, let’s take a closer look.
An Overview of Citizen the Watch Brand
Today, Citizen’s catalog is huge. The Promaster series, for example, splits into Land, Sky, and Marine sub-categories. You can find some really good value quartz watches in the Land series.
Electronic compasses, altimeters, and stopwatches accurate to 1/100th of a second are among them.
The Promaster Marine collection is home to robust dive watches that comply with ISO standards. A screw-down crown at 8 o’clock differentiates these watches from others on the market.
Quick Take: The Citizen Promaster Marine Eco-Drive Diver 200M
This daring and confident-looking Promaster Marine watch, for example, demonstrates the quality you can expect from Citizen’s dive watch range.
It features a unique whale shark stamp on its caseback, 200-meter water resistance, and Eco-Drive technology.
Its lightweight titanium case construction features the brand’s surface-hardening technology.
This is a bulky 45.6mm size model and, like many of the brand’s designs, wears on the large side.
On the other hand, the Promaster Sky is ideal for pilots. Packed with countless features to aid with calculating flight data, these models benefit from radio-controlled accuracy and lightweight titanium cases.
Citizen also offers some pretty neat three-handed watches with date displays from the Elegant collection. Without a doubt, the highlight is the Satellite Timekeeping System, which relies on GPS signals for precise atomic time.
Citizen Sport is another large collection that promises sufficient 100-meter water-resistant ratings and reasonable prices.
Quick Take: Citizen Series 8 Automatic
The Citizen Series 8 Automatic subscribes to the desirable steel sports watch aesthetic but at a fraction of the price. If you don’t want to remortgage your house to invest in an AP Royal Oak, this alternative should suffice.
The mechanical sports watch has an ultra-clean execution crafted from stainless steel, measuring 42mm. It also features 200-meter water resistance, an octagonal case profile, and an integrated bracelet.
In my opinion, this is one of the brand’s most collectible designs.
An Overview of Timex, the Watch Brand
The Timex watch catalog is broad and varied. Some of its cheapest models cost less than $25!
One of the brand’s biggest achievements is its Ironman watch series. Collectors particularly enjoy them for their luminous dial markings and vintage-inspired designs.
Quick Take: The Timex Ironman Adrenaline Chronograph 48mm
Here’s a superb example of the Timex Ironman. This stainless steel model with a black PVD coating features recessed sub-dials on its black display. Shots of vibrant red from the sporty chronograph hands punctuate the rich black dial.
The Ironman was originally a digital watch with great legibility and functionality. It’s incredible to see how Timex has evolved this watch to accommodate the needs of the modern man.
Beware, though, that this watch measures large. Its 48mm diameter imparts masculinity and power. It can certainly match up to Citizen’s offerings, which tend to measure on the large side.
One of the company’s biggest innovations, however, was the brand’s Indiglo light technology, which I mentioned earlier.
The proprietary watch backlight followed on from the Ironman. Developed in the 1990s, it featured a thin paper film placed over the dial.
When the wearer activated the backlight, the film acted as a light bulb. The feature illuminates the entire dial with the simple push of a button.
Quick Take: Timex Waterbury Classic
This watch pays homage to Timex’s roots. Its legible and clear dial format is incredibly versatile, and it benefits from the brand’s Indiglo light technology.
The Timex Waterbury Classic 40mm watch, as its name suggests, promises manageable dimensions. Its stainless steel case holds a quartz movement within and promises 50 meters of water resistance.
Understandably, since Timex watches cost less than Citizen watches, the brand’s technology is a little less impressive. But the engineering of a Timex watch certainly can’t be sniffed at.
What the Waterbury Classic guarantees is a clean and simple timepiece that is perfect for formal occasions.
The Indiglo light-up dial also provides easy timekeeping during the night, making it a great option for pairing with evening attire.
Is Timex or Citizen Better?
Citizen has been a leader in solar-powered wristwatches since the 1990s. It also produced the first Japanese watch with shock protection in 1956.
Since then, many leading luxury watch brands have adopted this Parashock system, which helps protect mechanical movements from unexpected impact. It is one of the brand’s greatest innovations to date.
By 1959, Citizen had produced its first water-resistant watch. Suffice it to say, the Japanese brand has always pushed the horological limits despite being an affordable manufacturer.
It continues to lead the way in affordable wristwatch technology, especially with its impressive Eco-Drive technology.
Timex also upholds a reputation for affordability and quality. The brand promises plenty of bang for your buck, beating Citizen’s prices by a mile.
That said, the American brand hasn’t achieved quite as many horological innovations as Citizen and lacks the same level of expertise. However, innovations like the iconic digital Ironman Series and the Indiglo light technology have stood the test of time.
While most Citizen watches feature stainless steel, the brand does offer some innovative designs made from recyclable plastic.
Still, they don’t quite live up to the quality materials chosen by Citizen. The Japanese brand uses lightweight titanium for many of its watches, fortifying the material with a proprietary surface-hardening technology.
The Takeaway
When it comes to deciding between Timex vs Citizen, the jury is still out.
Although both brands come from completely different parts of the world, they are enjoyed for the same values. They promise reliability and affordability and demonstrate an innovative spirit, too.
Citizen’s achievements, however, are a little more impressive. Its sticking point, however, tends to be its large case sizes.
Deciding between Citizen vs Timex really comes down to what you consider the most important in a watch. Is it price? Technological features? Or both? Leave a comment and tell me what you think!
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