CitizenMen's Eco-Drive Weekender Brycen Chronograph Watch Stainless Steel Case

This "Brycen" chronograph by Citizen was a steal when on closeout sale. I have had a gift Citizen for 35 years now - but got tired of short battery life. (Gold tone Diver's with quartz movement powered by button cell) No complaints even with that antique, but battery changes and yearly service got tiresome. This Eco-Drive movement is completely self sustaining in even mere ambient light to keep it's hybrid Titanium lithium Ion battery up and running. This is an excellent movement in a very stylish stainless steel motif with polished highlights. It blends in with all of my wardrobe, dressy, to casual, it's a stunner.Now the good bits:All as mentioned above - battery is powered by a hidden solar cell under the face of the watch. It needs only 9 minutes of direct sunlight/day for all the energy it needs for up to 24 hours of running.When fully charged, it can keep moving up to about 6 months in the dark. But don't store *any* Eco-drive model away like this. Take it out and wear it for a day or two and let it charge up. A full charge from dead flat usually takes a day and a half of sunlight to bounce back to full charge.The lume on the face is powerful and a brilliant aqua-blue. Alas, it doesn't last quite as long as you'd want it to in complete darkness. Most of the glow is gone at the end of 10 minutes.The face Is clearly marked with sharp looking ticks, the hands hit on those ticks perfectly. (in mine anyway)Beautiful tachymeter ring in navy blue w/sharp, legible numbering. The aluminum ring is of a high polish that compliments the looks of this chronometer.Decent bracelet of alternating contrasts of brushed and polished steel is attractive to just look at. Once adjusted, it's secure and slip free.This is a bare basics chronometer, with subset dials to indicate Minutes, GMT 24-hr clock and running time seconds dial with all 60 ticks there. The large, orange sweep hand moves only when using the chronometer function and is accurate to 1/5th of a second.+-15 seconds accuracy in one month is pretty sharp for a quartz movement of this design and price point.Drawbacks: This is a short list -Inset day for the calendar is deep set into the watch face. So you do have to angle it about to see what the numerical day/date is.The bracelet strap has *NO* micro-adjustment w/spring clips. You have to drive links out of the bracelet to remove either a full link, or one of 4 "half" links to get it right. It took me three tries in the images attached to find "my fit". I have skinny arms, so this was vexing until I got it done. The pins drive out and in through a specific direction, the pins are split - so they have to be oriented and driven in the right directions so that they expand and click in deep, locking the links back together. You may need a jewelry store or a watchmaker's to get it right if this frustrates you.There is no lume on the watch dial or the ticks, only on the hour and minute hands. This makes full readability in the dark challenging. If it was a true "Dive" watch as Citizen sells then there would be full face and dial lume. This is a sports watch. Water resistant - not watertight. Snorkeling and swimming is a-OK. Don't press your luck with a case rated to 100meter/10 Bar.As it is a sports watch, (not a diver) the Tachymeter ring is FIXED. It's not ratcheting at all so therefore useless as a dive timer.Mild criticism: This watch would benefit from a hardened Sapphire crystal dome glass. You only get Mineral glass domes in this price range and style of watch. Jumping up to the Super Titanium Brycen, you get 200meter/20Bar water resistance and the sapphire crystal. Please bring Sapphires to the entire Brycen line.For the money I spent though, and as a first, self-purchased Citizen - I am very satisfied. The unit I received was factory new, in box, sealed - all anti-scuff plastics in place! No refurb or resold unit here. I hope it gives me the same reliability and timekeeping of my older Citizen. The Eco-Drive movement is allegedly good for 10 years of use, but Citizen reports service life upwards of 20 years under ideal conditions. A third party evaluator has reported that through simulated environments, charge/discharge cycles - an estimated 30+ years of service *could be achieved*. Citizen does recommend that the watch go in for service every 3 years, at least to replace the case seals and clean/lube as required. Electronically register your watch on Citizen's web page to start your 5 year warranty. If you use their app, they'll extend the warranty out to 6 years, gratis.I'd definitely pick up this watch as an economical entry into the Eco-Drive family with Citizen. This watch proves you neither have to break the bank or sell a kidney for fantastic looks, style, reliability and spot-on precision that's more than adequate for every day at work, or leisure-cruising around on the weekends.

I recently purchased the Citizen Men's Eco-Drive Weekender Brycen Chronograph Watch (Model: CA0851-05X) and I couldn't be happier with my choice. This watch perfectly blends functionality, style, and sustainability, making it an excellent addition to my collection.First off, the design is eye-catching. The green bezel and dial give it a unique look that stands out without being overly flashy. The brown perforated leather strap adds a touch of elegance and comfort. It feels great on the wrist and adjusts nicely, making it perfect for all-day wear. The chronograph feature is not just a nice touch, but it is also very easy to use, adding practicality to the aesthetic appeal.The Eco-Drive technology is a game-changer. It harnesses solar power, which means I don’t have to worry about changing batteries. This eco-friendly aspect really enhances the watch for me, as I appreciate products that are sustainable.Functionality-wise, the time and date display is clear and easy to read. The three-hand movement is precise, and I have found it to keep excellent time. Whether I’m at work or out on the weekend, it fits right in with both casual and semi-formal outfits.Overall, the Citizen Eco-Drive Weekender Brycen Chronograph is a fantastic watch that ticks all the boxes for style, functionality, and environmental consideration. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable and stylish accessory!

I was interested in this watch a few years ago when it was a lot less pricey but I didn't get it. Wish I did. Even at the sale price I picked it for it's still costs a lot more.I wanted a eco-drive watch because I'm a huge fan of the Casio solar watches. This watch looks better then most Casios of this style. The face is simple with stamped numbers and pins. Easy to read the cream dial although in low light the white hands can be difficult to read. The hands are the only part that glows. Buttons seem to be of good quality. The band was instantly removed and I installed a Barton silicone band (black with orange trim). The leather band did not have quick release pins so it was in a pain getting off. The Barton is WAY more comfortable.Good size stainless steel case. Not huge by any standard but not small like many dress watches. Keeps good time although not atomic.Outer rim is a tachymeter which is easy to use since the large second hand belongs to the stopwatch. Of course it requires math so if you're unaware of how it works there are tutorials online.Comes is a decent gift box.Highly recommended if you can get on sale.