Citizen Men's BL8097-52E Eco-Drive Calibre 8700 Black Ion-Plated Stainless Steel Watch

 (20 customer reviews)

Since there were no reviews on amazon, I was contemplating if I should buy this watch.

I took the chance and finally decided to get it. I should say I'm extremely satisfied with my purchase. The watch looks great. It took 10-15 minutes to get used to the different dials and modes of this watch, but if you read the manual, its a no-brainer.

This is my first metal strapped watch. The dial is pretty big but I guess that is the 'in' thing right now. Even though I have small wrists, the watch does not look like an alarm clock strapped to my hand. The metal strap is a more metallic dark grayish rather than fully black. If you're expecting a fully black strap, this watch is not for you. As of today 03/08/2010, I should say this is the best looking black strap watch at this price under perpetual watches(eco-drives/seiko kinetics)

PROS
1. Killer looks
2. Never needs a battery(obviously this is applicable to all eco drives)
3. Charges even under...Read more

I've been in the market for a watch like this for awhile, and have finally found it.

Looks:
The watch looks spectacular. The gunmetal color of the band and bezel has a mirror finish that is very classy. The face of the watch is very functional looking, with clear, precise components. All white parts of the face glow in the dark, but they do not have that ugly yellow tint of most glow in the dark plastics when not active. This watch comes in a few styles, materials, and colors, but I feel that the gunmetal looks best in any attire; suit or T-shirt are both options for this watch.

Function:
The perpetual calendar is great. It took me about 5 minutes of reading the manual to figure out how to set it, but after that, it's trivial. I travel a lot, so it's nice to have a local time option that I can quickly change the watch to. When setting the watch, you only have to spin the dial a few times in either direction and it will start spinning on its own...Read more

I had been looking for a new metal band watch to wear as an everyday watch and ran across this watch while on vacation in the Caribbean. I actually found and liked the stainless steel version first (a bit dressier) but when I saw this one, with the gun metal black, I had to have it.
I work in a jail and wear it every day. The finish can handle the minor bumps and brushes around a concrete building and for a metal band, it wears quite comfortably.

As the other reviews mention, it only takes a short sit-down session with the manual to get the hang of messing with the settings, but once you get it, it's really easy. I haven't used the alarm function on it, but assume it works fine too.

As for price, I paid under $300 for mine even though retail is at $495 (see link in other review for pricing). My only suggestion is that you make sure you purchase your watch from an authorized retailer. Citizen will NOT honor waranty service if you don't have an invoice or...Read more