Citizen Eco drive chronograph AT 0660-05F a small review and personal opinions about the watch

[mobolnar]

Hi all..when I was thinking of buying this watch I was like all of you (I suppose) searching the net for reviews about it.
There were few..not much..and not much info on it. So I decided that now than I got it..I would write a little about it.
Add my humble small review and thoughts about it. Maybe it will help someone to decide. Just my "few cents" about it.

There also was not very much pictures of the watch. When I am buying a watch.. I like to view it from all possible angles..
So I took my time and made for you more pictures...hope you like them...

FIRST IMPRESSION STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX

First of all..you get it in a nice Citizen box with the papers and so on. Lets not waste time on this part and just focus on
the watch. The very first impression taking it out of the box is: "I like it!!"
You can tell just from taking it in your hand that its really well made..the titanium case looks very solid and pretty thick.
Not too much - just the wright thickness to make you feel..sense that this is a well build..durable..tough watch. And its very
light (because of the titanium).

ABOUT THE WATCH SIZE

On few reviews I found on the net of other buyers(amazon)..they were saying that its a HUGE watch..too thick..someone even said
"like having a CRT screen on hand"..etc. All I can say is I dont agree with this opinions. They are exagerate.
Its not "too huge" or "too thick". Not even close. Maybe if you had a "womens" watch before. Or a "child toy watch"
On the other hand - I like big watches. I had a lot of big G-shock-s so far and Protreks. My personal (let me repeat this-personal!!!)
opinion allways was that a man should have a big and thick watch. Small..slim watches are for children and women Hehehe.
A small and very slim watch on a man-s hand - looks very funny to me.
Well its just my personal opinion. Dont get offended. Everyone has his own taste.
Actually I would like it even more..if the case was a few mm more wide. Bigger.

WATCH FACE

The watch face is very readable. Very "classic" and "elegant" look. Very clear face. I like it very much. White hands and markers
on the black background..Just the wright size..to make it very readable. You can see the time just with a fast glance at the watch.
In a second. Even less than a second. Even in low light.
A lot of other watches (especially chronographs) have big faces but way too much info on them. Not needed info. And way too small
numbers..markers. Makes it hard to read. It takes you a few seconds just too make out what time it is.

WATCH FACE AND SUBDIALS

And now a few things that could be better. First the date. Its way too small. Hard to see. Almost microscopic You have to take
the watch very close to your face to see what date it is. Its soo small. And my eyes still work pretty good. I dont need glasses yet.
And I still dont see the date if I dont put the watch very close to my face. That means if your eyes arent that good..you wont see a
damn thing. At least they could put a magnifier.
There are 3 small subdials on the watch - the 24 hour showing subdial, the minute subdial for the chronograph part. And the subdial
that shows the actual seconds of the time. I never understood why you need a separate 24 hour subdial on a watch. Its not hard to
remember that after 12 its 13..then 14 and so on. And that 13 stand for 1 o clock, 14 stands for 2 o clock and so on. Why you need
a separate subdial just for that??!!Its just a waist of space. It would be better if they used the space to make a bigger date display.
Or rather make it a day of the week subdial..(sunday..monday etc..) It would be much much better!!

THE WATCH "PROTECTION"

The screw down crown and the two buttons are well protected with the case. For sure there wont be any "accidental" press on
a button by mistake or something like that.
One thing that I would change about "protection": the watch crystal. Its straight on the top of the watch case. That makes it pretty
much very higly vulnerable for accidental "smashing"...hitting with the crystal on stuff..like walls..tables.. etc..
Why isnt the crystal at least a few mm under the case??!! So it would be at least a little more protected when you accidentaly hit
something.... They make a tough..durable watch and then put the crystal so high.

THE HANDS..SECOND HAND, CHRONOGRAPH SECOND HAND

This part also isnt my favorite. The big second hand is used just for the chronograph. And on the small subdial it shows the actual
passing seconds of the time. That means the big hand will stay still on your watch 99,9 of the time. Not moving.
I would prefer if it was the other way around. The big hand for "normal" actual seconds and the small subdial hand for the chronograph
use. Now lets be honest. We buy analog chronograph watches for the nice and cool look of them. (and they look nice!!
But 99,9% of the time we use them just for showing the time. If one person really needs a watch for the chrono modes..split seconds..
measuring..stopwatch...timer and so on (a professinal runner for example) he will buy a digital one. Or a "real" stopwatch.
Not an analog chronograph.

THE LUME

I think that its VERY GOOD. Kinda "blueish" colour. Very nice. And yes..when you put the watch under a direct light source (a lamp...)
and then take it away its very bright for a short time. Then after some time the heavy brightness wanishes. But its still readable
enought to see the time all night long!!Just enough lume. A few people were critisizing the lume. I cant understand why..to tell you
the truth. I personally tested it thru all night. It was dark. Pitch black. And I could ALLWAYS read the time. Without the usage of
other light sources. So in my book the lume is very good. And enough.
For godssake guys its a wristwatch!!Not a flashlight or a light tower!!! I dont want a lume that is too much bright all the time!!!
That somebody can see you from a plane in the night so too speak!! What if you are a spy..or a special forces soldier and because of
the too bright lume others can see you from a mile away!??!! Or you are just following your wife in the night to check if she cheats
on you You would be like a walking christmas tree all the time! Hahahaha. There is no point in that.

THE WATCH STRAP

Its OK. Actually from the touch feel and the look I am pretty sure that its a very very durable and tough strap. Its simple but very
durable. When I first put the watch on the strap did feel a little uncomfortable on the skin. I guess because it was new and unused.
Now its the second day I am wearing the watch and the discomfort is allready gone. I bet you get used to it very fast.
And by the way..yes..off course I will change it for a nice leather one. The watch will look much nice-r and fancy-er with a leather
strap. Its still a good strap tho. I guess they put it on because the watch is presented as a very durable tough watch. Not as a
"elegant" clasic one (on which leather straps are usually used) And its also cheaper because of that. You can upgrade the strap
yourself if you want. Some other day.

OVERALL CONCLUSION

Nice watch. I like it a lot. Not perfect..but there isnt a perfect one. If you want a solid..durable "classy elegant look-ing"
watch..and you like it so far - go for it. And for the price - its just an amazing watch. Solar powered..very well build..
and beautiful. And...I bet..I am sure its made much better and its more durable than a lot of other watches that cost much more.



Also:
I am not a watch expert. I am just a person who likes watches. Who did have a lot of them so far so I know something about them.
And..I am not English. So excuse me for my grammar mistakes. I am trying my best...I promise you
The point of this review is just to show you my personal thoughts..impressions of this watch. Everywhone has a different taste.
And everywhone can have his opinion. And maybe this review will even be helpful to someone who thinks about buying one.

Enjoy!

[mobolnar]

A SMALL PHOTO UPDATE:
and here we go...
the beauty on a HIRCH Grand Duke 22 mm black strap

[Chivers]

Great review and top pictures! I’m a big fan of Citizen Ecodrives, and for me the dial on yours is still too cluttered – although it is a chronograph. I really like the combination of baton and Arabic numerals and I agree, it’s not too big on the wrist. Wear and enjoy in good health.

[twstdstng]

love these citzens

[Gary123]

.........

THE HANDS..SECOND HAND, CHRONOGRAPH SECOND HAND

This part also isnt my favorite. The big second hand is used just for the chronograph. And on the small subdial it shows the actual passing seconds of the time. That means the big hand will stay still on your watch 99,9 of the time. Not moving.
I would prefer if it was the other way around. ...... Now lets be honest. We buy analog chronograph watches for the nice and cool look of them. (and they look nice!!
But 99,9% of the time we use them just for showing the time. If one person really needs a watch for the chrono modes..split seconds..measuring..stopwatch...timer and so on (a professinal runner for example) he will buy a digital one. Or a "real" stopwatch. Not an analog chronograph.
.......

I buy a chronograph because I use my chronograph all the time, starting every morning with timing my shot of espresso, then timing the mixture of water and chemicals into my koi pond, timing my swimming laps, my jogging and a host of other things. Can't beat the convenience of a stopwatch integrated into a wrist watch. Don't much care for digital.

A chronograph is a tool watch and the sweep second hand of a chrono is a purpose built design. Afterall, it is a timer. You can just keep your chronograph running, as some folks do, if you want the sweep second hand running all the time. Your complaint is really that the chronograph is properly designed, rather than built for appearances. You could save a lot of money and buy a pretend chronograph watch like my wife has - the subdials and pushers don't work, but her watch looks good.

But a good write up with lots of information! I just had to nit pick on that one comment.

[Orolan]

Great review nice work.....

[gettingstarted]

great looking watch, how heavy is it compared to your gshock? wondering if the eco-drive makes the watch weigh more...

[mobolnar]

great looking watch, how heavy is it compared to your gshock? wondering if the eco-drive makes the watch weigh more...

The weight feels pretty much the same to me. I didnt use a scale to weight them..but putting them
together each in one hand there is not much difference...at least I dont feel it..
Well its a Titanium case..I dont know how it would feel with a SS one...

So NO..the eco-drive doesnt make the watch weight more...

[mobolnar]

I buy a chronograph because I use my chronograph all the time, starting every morning with timing my shot of espresso, then timing the mixture of water and chemicals into my koi pond, timing my swimming laps, my jogging and a host of other things. Can't beat the convenience of a stopwatch integrated into a wrist watch. Don't much care for digital.

A chronograph is a tool watch and the sweep second hand of a chrono is a purpose built design. Afterall, it is a timer. You can just keep your chronograph running, as some folks do, if you want the sweep second hand running all the time. Your complaint is really that the chronograph is properly designed, rather than built for appearances. You could save a lot of money and buy a pretend chronograph watch like my wife has - the subdials and pushers don't work, but her watch looks good.

But a good write up with lots of information! I just had to nit pick on that one comment.

Actually...after all this time wearing the watch..I have to admit that I did change
my mind. Now I love that the seconds are shown in the small subdial.
I never had a chronograph before..so maybe thats why I didnt like it.
But now..after some time...I have to admit..I get it. It makes the seconds
much more readable..that it would if they were shown on the big second hand.
Just my opinion.