Review Summary:
The solid, black dial design and strap makes the watch a perfect accessory for scuba diving. Professional divers who venture into undersea expeditions would definitely find the watch handy because of its complete functionality, reliability in undersea territories, and resistance to water for up to 990 feet (300m). When not in the water, the Citizen EcoZilla BJ8050E-08E proves to fit very well with sportswear. Extremely rugged & cool looking, it’s really a beautiful watch, but not designed for formal occasions.
Citizen is a brand that is known not only for providing quality wristwatches; it is a name that defines men’s sophistication and luxurious appeal. While Citizen has made a mark with their dress watches, they also stand out in other more functional and innovative watches, such as dive watches. Hence, Citizen offers one of its most prized dive watches, the Citizen EcoZilla BJ8050-08E.
Pros
- Extremely rugged & cool looking
- Fully featured & high water resistance
- Highly protected case & dial
- High-quality materials
- Bright & long lasting lume
- Do not need battery changing after each 1-2 years
Cons
- Thicker than other most of other men’s watches (19mm, 11-13mm is normal)
- A little heavy (14.08 ounces)
- Large size - 48mm (not designed for small-wrist folks)
- Not suitable with formal occassions
Here’s a short video review of the Citizen EcoZilla BJ8050-08E:
Construction
The Citizen EcoZilla BJ8050-08E is made of an extra-thick (6mm) curved non-reflective mineral crystal that is specially designed together with a case diameter of 48 mm for mixed-gas diving. It possesses a unidirectional rotating time-elapsed bezel, and a reinforced urethane rubber strap with diving extender. Unlike the brand’s other diver watches, the EcoZilla comes in a larger size for easier readability especially when diving underwater.
Movement
This watch features a solar powered Eco-Drive Caliber, the B873 Japanese-quartz movement, which is extremely accurate & reliable. The watch has luminous digits and hands for better readability, and colors adjust depending on the time of the day in order for more visibility. This watch also has a date function at 3:00, as it follows standard timepiece designs in order to maintain its classic appeal.
Features
The BJ8050E-08E offers the following features:
- Max power reserve of 180 days. It is followed by a low charge warning of 3 days, and a quick start ability and charge time from stop state to max charge.
- It has an incandescent light feature that lasts for 105 hours, 33 hours (10,000 lux) in outdoor cloudy skies, and 9 hours of life in sunny outdoor environments.
- Its thicker, larger case diameter of 48mm promotes better durability combined by its stainless-steel case.
- It has a screw-back case and screw-down crown for better stability.
- The timepiece is water-resistant to 300M or 984 feet below sea level.
Strap
The strap used in the Citizen EcoZilla BJ8050E-08E is made of black rubber, and its specially contoured design provides stronger security and stability once worn by the user. It is secured by steel clamps made of similar metal material used on the crown, and has a number of adjustments to fit the size of the wearer’s wrist.
Overall
The Citizen Eco Zilla stands out among the brand’s other diver watches mainly because of its high-end functionality and appeal. One major area in which it stands out is the bezel design, for the larger detail and imaging of the digits allow better visibility in underwater environments.
Another strong point which the BJ8050E-08E makes a mark is its secure rubber strap material. Indeed it follows the classic diver’s watch design, but its special contour shape and thickness enable more flexibility without getting loose after a few hours or so. The thick strap is also very durable, and will hold up well, even in tough dive situations.
This timepiece also offers a more efficient charging time. Being ecologically friendly, the watch only needs light in order to stay powered. It also takes up to 33 hours for it to require charging when exposed to a regular cloudy day, while it takes up to 9 hours for its power to wane when exposed to darker environments.
The solid, black dial design and strap also makes the watch a perfect accessory for scuba diving. Professional divers who venture into undersea expeditions would definitely find the watch handy because of its complete functionality, reliability in undersea territories, and resistance to water for up to 990 feet (300m).
If there’s one aspect most users complain about this watch, it would be its weight. Because of its extra large design, it also carries significant amount of heft which can be a bit annoying, especially for fast-paced divers. It can be difficult to carry this watch in deeper sea explorations as it adds extra pounds of to one’s diving gear.
However, the large design and weight possessed by the EcoZilla also proves to be handy, as it keeps the wearer in good suspension against the waters. In essence, it maintains the wearer’s balance when submerged in water, something similar timepieces from other brands have not yet realized.
When not in the water, the Citizen EcoZilla BJ8050E-08E proves to fit very well with sportswear. Extremely rugged & cool looking, it’s really a beautiful watch, but not designed for formal occasions.
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