The 12 Best Citizen Watches On The Market Today

Citizen watches have been popular in Australia for decades at this point: thanks to their reliable build quality, strong designs, and compelling value proposition. From its range of bulletproof dive watches to its angular and contemporary Series 8 collection, the watches that leave the Citizen factory are some of the best bang-for-buck timepieces you’ll find anywhere in the world today.

If you don’t have time to trawl Citizen’s website for all the timepieces that tickle your fancy, we’ve pulled together a list of what we think are the best watches in the current catalogue. We’ve got affordable options that you can wear to the office, value-driven sports watches and even a number of impressive premium references.

Let’s get into it.

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BH Approved: The Best Citizen Watch Overall That You Can Buy In Australia

Released to much fanfare in 2021, the Citizen Series 8 collection was a line in the sand as the Japanese watchmaker stated its intention to meet market demand and offer a cleanly designed everyday sports watch. Its case dimensions are almost universally wearable and carefully proportioned, while the three-layer dial features an iridescent mother-of-pearl layer covered by an interesting geometric lattice that helps emphasise the different pearlescent shades.

The Series 8 collection is also one of the more premium ranges from Citizen that are powered by automatic movements — this time by the Citizen Caliber 0950 that made its debut with the collection. Sure, the 48-hour power reserve could be a little healthier, but with a promised accuracy range of -5/+10 seconds per day, you’ll be on time whenever you strap the NA1010-84X. It’s a new direction we’re seeing from Citizen, and we’re loving what we’re seeing so far.

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The Best Citizen Watches*

*Editor’s Note: Watches are not ranked in order of collectability/importance

Mechanical Dive Watch NY0120-52E

In our humble opinion, the NY0120-52E mechanical diver is exactly the kind of watch that has earned Citizen armies of fans all around the world. Affordable, mechanically powered, with good water resistance, and an approachable, uncontroversial design — there’s really not much you can’t love about this one.

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“Tsuyosa” Automatic NJ0151-88L

With an angular case shape that reminds us of watch design in the 70s, the three-link bracelet of the “Tsuyosa” Automatic NJ0151-88L looks classic (but not attention-grabby), while the dial gets all the details right.

It’s not a timepiece that depends on being seen — especially with such a granular, yet subtly textured dial — but if you’re looking for a daily timepiece for any office, this will serve you well.

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Series 8 “Pepsi” GMT NB6030-59L

A more recent addition to Citizen’s Series 8 collection, the “Pepsi” GMT NB6030-59L is a fresh take on a classic travel watch.

Featuring a GMT movement and bezel for tracking multiple timezones simultaneously; a dependable 100m of water resistance; and a textured dial that complements the hard angles of the case and bracelet, it’s a sporty watch that will prove timeless in years to come.

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Promaster Dive “Orca” BN0235-01E

A personal favourite within the current Citizen line-up, this hefty diver takes inspiration for its design from the fearsome orca.

Despite its gargantuan 46mm case size, the design and way in which the dive strap is integrated mean it wears a lot smaller; and with a reliable 200m of water resistance, as well as its solar-assisted Eco-Drive movement, it’s a dive watch that could only have been made by Citizen.

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Ana-Digi Temp JG2147-85X

As you might expect from a thoroughly retro-looking analogue-digital timepiece, this watch takes inspiration from the golden age of digital time-telling in the 1980s.

With a host of functions including an alarm, stopwatch, and full glow-in-the-dark dial, its most unusual and helpful feature is a thermometer that can tell you the temperature.

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Series 8 NB6012-18L

Another model from the Series 8 collection (that takes advantage of the classically handsome gold and blue colour combination) the NB6012-18L boasts a gold-tone PVD-coated steel case that adds a touch of bling to the range.

The brushed sunburst blue dial is stunning too, while the leather strap lends an element of formality to the watch. Perfect for anyone who tends to wear tailoring clothing to their 9-to-5.

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Chronograph CA4558-16E

There’s a lot to be said about having a trusty chronograph in the collection: whether you’re using the stopwatch function to time a workout or perfectly boil an egg.

This chrono isn’t one that’ll break the bank, but still looks the part with a green bezel framing the Eco-Drive dial. Meanwhile, the perforated rally strap makes this watch look visibly sportier on the wrist.

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Series 8 GMT NB6032-53P

While the so-called “Pepsi” GMT is a legendary design on the wrist, Citizen wanted to offer enthusiasts something a little different that caught the eye for different reasons.

Almost unmissable thanks to its two-tone PVD-coated case and integrated bracelet, the dial is arguably the star of the show thanks to its intricate gold leaf-like surface texture. Far from subtle, but — we like to think — undeniably good looking.

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Promaster “Lefty” NY0086-83L

One for the South Paw collectors out there (or serious divers who simply must wear a scuba computer on their left wrist), this destro Promaster is another Citizen classic.

It’s affordable, the design is distinctive and with an automatic movement and 200m of water resistance; it’s the sort of companion you can wear every day without a worry in the world.

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Promaster Aqualand JP2007-17W

Definitely one for those who’ve earned their PADI certification (or are planning to), the Promaster Aqualand JP2007-17W features a large protrusion on the side of the case for measuring the depth of dives.

That’s an incredibly useful function if you’re dipping your toe into the world of diving. Plus: the fully luminous dial means you’ll always be able to read it, while features like an alarm, chronograph, and more, make for one of the most practical timepieces on the market.

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“Bullhead” Chronograph AN3660-81X

This AN3660-81X is a throwback to the legendary 1973 chronograph that recently saw a spike of interest in the public eye (after appearing on Brad Pitt’s wrist in Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood).

This doesn’t have the same gold case, but is fitted with a cracking orange dial; a period-correct 38mm case; and those distinctly bovid pushers at the 11 o’clock and 1 o’clock position.

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Now that you’re acquainted with all of the best JLC watches of the year, why not take a look at a few of our other horological stories below?

• The Citizen Calibre 0200 Begins A Bold New Chapter For The Brand
• The New Generation Of Citizen CZ Smartwatch Uses AI To Help You Stay Alert
• The 35 Best Seiko Watches Priced From $500 To $5,000
• How To Buy The Blancpain x Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms In Australia

For more on how we put together lists like this please have a read of our editorial policy.

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The Best Citizen Watches — Frequently Asked Questions

Are Citizen watches worth buying?

Citizen watches are definitely worth buying, as a watch brand that is affordable, well made and offers a great range of different designs.

What is the most accurate Citizen watch in the world?

The most accurate autonomous wristwatch ever made is the Citizen 0100, which is accurate to a remarkable ±1 second per year. This means less than a minute and a half of accuracy lost over an entire human lifetime.