Product : Citizen Men's JY0050-55L Eco-Drive Blue Angels Skyhawk A-T Chronograph Titanium Watch
Star Rating :
Price : Click to Check price Update!!
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Citizen Men's JY0050-55L Eco-Drive Blue Angels Skyhawk A-T Chronograph Titanium Watch Review
I've had all kinds of watches including luxury watches from Cartier, Tag Heuer and Rolex, also watches by Bulova, Seiko, etc. etc., yet this Citizen Blue Angels Skyhawk A-T in titanium is by far and away my favorite watch of all time. This watch is both a chronological and technological marvel and a bargain even at full retail. The precision and esthetics of this timepiece are magnificent.
In spite of the numerous features and seeming complexity of this watch it was fun and intuitive to set up and use its vast and useful feature set. Citizen did a great job in both writing the user's guide and providing an interactive CD to help get the new owner up and running quickly and easily.
Upon opening the package and holding the watch one cannot help but be impressed with the lightness of this watch when compared to a similarly sized watch made from stainless steel. It is a moderately large wristwatch, yet with the case and bracelet being made from titanium the watch is surprisingly light. Yet, the lightness is coupled with a fit, finish and solid feel that just feels right. It's a perfect balance of design, technology, materials and workmanship. The heft of the watch is ideal. I highly doubt that I will ever buy another watch that is not titanium. The watch feels great on the wrist and soon felt like I was born with this watch on my wrist. The knowledge that titanium is one of the toughest (yet lightest) metals known to man is reassuring. If it's good enough for the skin of the SR-71 it's good enough for me. :-)
I was a little concerned from the photos that the blue face with yellow accents might look on my wrist. After receiving the watch it turns out that the watch is a real beauty. The color combination not only fits with the Blue Angels theme but looks supremely classy and sporty. The appearance is magnificent in hand and still photos do not do the watch justice for the simple reason that as light is reflected off of the faceted hour markers, hands and the borders around the small dials on the watch face, the watch glistens (in a subtle way) without looking like excessive "bling." Understated sporty elegance, yet powerful and functional.
I think the other reviews and Amazon's product description adequately cover the feature set on the watch so I will not go into this area in my review except to say that so far, all are useful and easily accessible.
Citizen is known for their accurate timepieces but with the radio controlled feature I will never need to set this watch again. In the past, my desire for accuracy has cost me some time and effort. I have the number for atomic time programmed into my phones and had to set my watches on at least a monthly basis and more often with some watches. It is a relief to know this is a thing of the past with this watch. It has a perpetual calendar (it "knows" how many days in each month including leap years/months) and atomic timekeeping - set it once and that's it. Couple this with the Eco Drive and now there's no need to ever worry about replacing a battery again. I love it. Cartier wanted big bucks to change a battery on my quartz Tank Watch and over $450 every few years to maintain the automatic (self winder). Those watches while they are nice looking could never match the accuracy of this watch. And now I'm hooked on the sporty and functional look of the Blue Angels Skyhawk. The countdown timer and 2 alarms are sufficiently loud for my ears. I wouldn't use the watch for an alarm clock but for reminders these are fine.
I urge anyone who enjoys a truly fine watch to give one of these a try. And by all means get the titanium version - it is absolutely worth the small difference in price. This is a watch that will last a lifetime and you will not be disappointed.
Update: After 10 days of wearing the Skyhawk I am impressed with the radio controlled accuracy of the watch, the comfort and overall sense of quality. There aren't many purchases I've made where I have found the level of satisfaction of ownership that I derive from the Skyhawk.
Update 5/27/11: I am enjoying this Blue Angels watch so much that I bought another titanium Skyhawk A-T the JY0010-50E with black dial and bezel. The 55L remains my favorite but the 50E is a close runner up.
Update 1/14/12: This watch continues to impress me with its accuracy and usefulness. I have picked up a few light scratches (normal wear and tear) on the clasp which are easily eliminated with Scotch Brite. The bezel and crystal continue to look new.
...Read MoreCitizen Men's JY0050-55L Eco-Drive Blue Angels Skyhawk A-T Chronograph Titanium Watch
: Features 
- Amazon Sales Rank: #1634 in Watches
- Size: One Size
- Color: blue
- Brand: Citizen
- Model: JY0050-55L
- Band material: Titanium
- Bezel material: Titanium
- Case material: Titanium
- Clasp type: fold-over-clasp-with-double-push-button-safety
- Dial color: blue
- Dial window material: Mineral
- Movement type: japanese-quartz
- Water-resistant to 660 feet
- Light powered Eco-Drive Caliber U600 Japanese-quartz movement; charges in natural sunlight or indoor light
- Max power reserve: 180 days to 30 Months with Power Save; low charge warning: 3 days; charge time from stop state to max charge: Incandescent Light - 150 hrs, Outdoors, Cloudy (10,000 Lux) - 60 hrs, Outdoors, Sunny (100,000 Lux) - 20 hrs
- Durable, hardened non-reflective mineral crystal; multi-band atomic timekeeping with radio-controlled accuracy (North America, Europe, and Asia); world time in 43 cities; Greenwich Mean Time display; perpetual calendar
- 1/100 second chronograph measures up to 24 hours; 99 minute countdown timer; rotating slide rule bezel; 2 Alarms; use of the Blue Angels name and logo is with the permission, but not endorsement, of the U.S. Navy
- Water-resistant to 660 feet (200 M)
...Full Details
