I am creating a new post so as not to derail Adman's earlier thread https://www.watchuseek.com/f21/sexy-new-citizen-eco-drive-diver-1459530.html out of respect to him and I know how much McNab likes voting polls. After Adman presented this nice looking time piece for our viewing pleasure I noticed the second hand not quite square on the 7 o'clock marker. After looking it up on the Citizen USA website it was much more prominent using the zoom feature. I was in disbelief that this photo would make it to their online catalog because if this is the best one they could find what the heck will the ones made available for purchace look like.
Take a look yourself! Citizen Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Professional Diver BN0151-09L Dive
I threw together a quick email to inquire about this discrepancy. Here is what I asked...
I noticed you have a very nice looking new model coming out soon, the BN0151-09L. My question is about the photo for your online catalog showing the second hand missing the marks of the index. Does Citizen not consider the Promaster line a precision instrument, or is your quality control just that poor. I mean even McDonald's puts impossibly perfect pictures of their burgers up on the menu. Have you ever tried to count the seconds on a watch when the seconds hand hits between the markers? You can never tell if you are counting the second before or after the hand. Please don't let an amazing piece of technology be soiled by something as simple as placing the hands properly.
Here is the response returned in less than two hours and very kindly written...
Hello,
Thank you for your email.
In viewing the picture displayed online, the second hand appears to be hitting the marker.
However, with regard to a given model's second hand, this may be considered within factory specifications. This is due to gear play, dial imprinting and position of the watch. The actual specification is for the hands to hit dead on at 12:00, but other alignment may be to one side or the other of the indice.
There are a variety of factors that come into consideration when comparing hand to dial marker accuracy. While position of the watch has some affect on this, manufacturing tolerances in the various components play a greater role. There are acceptable tolerances within the gear mesh, dial imprinting/application, dial ring imprinting (and mounting position) as well as tolerances within the dial fitting to the movement itself.
When all of these come into play, these tolerances can sometimes compliment each other and other times work against each other. It is for these reasons that there are some pieces within a series that are dead on, some that hit most marks, some that hit half the marks, some that hit some of the marks, etc.
It is only when you get to the very high end of the product line (aka Campanola and Exceed) that the acceptable tolerances become "tighter" so to speak.
Best regards,
Kimberly H.
Customer Service
After Sales Service Department
Citizen Watch Company of America
1000 W. 190th Street
Torrance, CA 90502
She is right the second hand does hit the 7 hour marker, but not squarely and it will not hit or point at the second markers either. So it is clear that they do not have any interest in tolerances for their low end watches like the Promaster line so buyer beware.
Take a look yourself! Citizen Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Professional Diver BN0151-09L Dive
I threw together a quick email to inquire about this discrepancy. Here is what I asked...
I noticed you have a very nice looking new model coming out soon, the BN0151-09L. My question is about the photo for your online catalog showing the second hand missing the marks of the index. Does Citizen not consider the Promaster line a precision instrument, or is your quality control just that poor. I mean even McDonald's puts impossibly perfect pictures of their burgers up on the menu. Have you ever tried to count the seconds on a watch when the seconds hand hits between the markers? You can never tell if you are counting the second before or after the hand. Please don't let an amazing piece of technology be soiled by something as simple as placing the hands properly.
Here is the response returned in less than two hours and very kindly written...
Hello,
Thank you for your email.
In viewing the picture displayed online, the second hand appears to be hitting the marker.
However, with regard to a given model's second hand, this may be considered within factory specifications. This is due to gear play, dial imprinting and position of the watch. The actual specification is for the hands to hit dead on at 12:00, but other alignment may be to one side or the other of the indice.
There are a variety of factors that come into consideration when comparing hand to dial marker accuracy. While position of the watch has some affect on this, manufacturing tolerances in the various components play a greater role. There are acceptable tolerances within the gear mesh, dial imprinting/application, dial ring imprinting (and mounting position) as well as tolerances within the dial fitting to the movement itself.
When all of these come into play, these tolerances can sometimes compliment each other and other times work against each other. It is for these reasons that there are some pieces within a series that are dead on, some that hit most marks, some that hit half the marks, some that hit some of the marks, etc.
It is only when you get to the very high end of the product line (aka Campanola and Exceed) that the acceptable tolerances become "tighter" so to speak.
Best regards,
Kimberly H.
Customer Service
After Sales Service Department
Citizen Watch Company of America
1000 W. 190th Street
Torrance, CA 90502
She is right the second hand does hit the 7 hour marker, but not squarely and it will not hit or point at the second markers either. So it is clear that they do not have any interest in tolerances for their low end watches like the Promaster line so buyer beware.