A review of the Citizen Series Eight "880 Mechanical" GMT watch for under ¥20!

This is a wear review of the 880 Mechanical, a new addition to Citizen's Series Eight collection in 2023. This model is affordable, yet incorporates trendy design and excellent performance, making it a good choice for those looking to purchase a mechanical GMT watch.

Citizen Series Eight GMT Watch Review

"Series Eight" is a brand that Citizen relaunched in 2021, featuring mechanical movements. A brand with the same name existed in the 2000s, and at the time, it was developed as a quartz watch. Citizen has a strong image of using quartz movements, including the light-powered Eco-Drive. However, Citizen released several mechanical models in 21, and given that Citizen has continued to expand its lineup of new models using this movement, including the Series Eight, we can expect the brand to focus on mechanical movements in the future.

　The Series Eight "880 Mechanical" that I'm reviewing today is one of these expanded models. It joined the collection in 23 as a mechanical GMT model.

　Two new GMT models have been released: the Ref. NB6030-59L with a two-tone red and blue bidirectional rotating bezel, and the Ref. NB6031-56E with a two-tone black and blue bezel. Both models feature a checkered pattern on the dial. This pattern is inspired by the windows of buildings, and the design was apparently inspired by the night view of Tokyo. A limited edition gold-colored model (currently sold out) with a "Japanese Autumn" motif was later released. The model I wore and reviewed this time was the one with the red and blue bezel.

High-Performance Mechanical GMT Watches for under ¥20

　I've thought about this before even writing my wear review, but this watch's positioning in the watch market is well thought out. There aren't many competitors for high-performance mechanical GMT watches at the affordable price of 220,000 yen (tax included) (for me, the only mechanical GMT watch in the same price range that immediately comes to mind is Seiko). GMT is a popular mechanism. That said, the lineup of mechanical models is expanding at higher prices. With watch prices continuing to rise these days due to social and economic factors such as the weak yen and rising raw material costs, this watch, priced in the 200,000 yen range, will be a compelling choice for those purchasing their first mechanical GMT watch, as well as those looking to purchase another watch.

　Of course, not only is the price reasonable, but the high performance is also a major factor in this watch's growing presence in the watch market. The Series Eight not only employs a mechanical movement, but also boasts Class 2 magnetic resistance. Class 2 magnetic resistance is specified by JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) and guarantees a magnetic field resistance of 16,000 A/m. This level of resistance means that the watch can maintain its performance in most cases even when placed within 1 cm of a magnetic source. The 880 Mechanical also features the antimagnetic Cal. 9054 movement, making it an easy watch to wear on a daily basis in today's world, where magnetism is rife and can cause malfunctions in most mechanical watches. With a power reserve of approximately 50 hours and a well-wound mainspring during wear (approximately 14 hours of daily wear), this mechanical movement excels in practicality.

　The accuracy of the watch while wearing it was +12 seconds after 24 hours and +21 seconds after 48 hours. Although the time is significantly faster, it is within the acceptable range. The crown is large and easy to operate, so I didn't find it difficult to set the time. Incidentally, the crown is not screw-in type.

The trendy design makes it stand out even when worn.

　Not only the price and performance, but also the design will surely appeal to this product's target demographic. This is because the lugs and bracelet are integrated, giving it a luxury sports watch feel, or the so-called "luxury sports" style. The case has a two-piece structure, with a hairline finish as the base and polished chamfered edges, which also incorporates the "luxury sports" trend.

　On the other hand, unlike the slim and dressy impression of the "Luxpo," the case is massive. It's large, measuring 41mm in diameter and 13.5mm thick, and on my wrist, which is 14.7cm, the case floats a little.

　Larger watches don't necessarily look bad on smaller wrists, but this watch has little play in the bracelet connection from the end pieces, and combined with its weight (161g with five links removed to adjust the bracelet), it floats and wobbles on a woman's small wrist, and it took some time to get used to wearing it. However, it is probably a standard size for a men's sports watch. Furthermore, while I find that watches with a case diameter that suits my wrist size and are thin and lightweight feel comfortable to wear, I personally believe that you can get used to wearing a heavy watch if you wear it for a while.

　That said, there is room for improvement in the fit. To emphasize the sharp design, the watch has an overall edgy exterior, and the back of the bracelet is rounded, but these edges can be a bit harsh on the skin. Also, the bracelet has little play between the links, and is thin compared to the case, making it unbalanced. For those with slimmer wrists, adjusting the size to fit snugly would likely improve the feeling of movement when worn.

　However, this massive case is also one of the watch's defining features. The design emphasizes three-dimensionality, giving the watch a strong presence on the wrist, which I found very pleasing. When wearing it, my eyes were naturally drawn to my wrist, and I was often asked, "What kind of watch is this?" As someone who sees watches as decorative items and wants others to notice them, a striking model like this fulfills that purpose and increases the satisfaction of owning it.

　The dial also features a distinctive checkerboard pattern, inspired by Tokyo's night view. The blue background is accented with red and orange, creating a modern sports watch. The hands and indices are thick enough to ensure visibility even under strong light sources. The luminous coating isn't particularly large, and the light isn't particularly strong, but the time could still be read even in the dark.

Simple and easy to operate GMT

　This GMT watch not only displays your current location, but also a second and third time zone. With the COVID-19 pandemic behind us and international travel and business trips on the rise, this is a feature that proves extremely practical. It will also be useful when communicating with people living overseas, even if you don't actually travel physically.

　The good thing about GMT watches is that they're not too complicated to operate. This model also has a basic operation method: pull the crown out two positions to operate the GMT and minute hands, and pull it out one position to operate the hour hand alone. The calendar is changed by turning the hour hand, which can be a hassle if you need to change it multiple times, but since there is no quick-change function, there are no prohibited times, so you can change it with the crown at any time.

　In addition, the bidirectional rotating bezel allows for up to a third time zone to be displayed. There is nothing particularly noteworthy about the operability of the bezel; although it is a little stiff, it is not difficult to turn.

If you're looking for a mechanical GMT watch in the 20 yen range, this is it!

　This time, I'm reviewing the GMT model from Citizen's "Series Eight" collection, which is equipped with a mechanical movement. Despite its modest list price of 220,000 yen (including tax), it offers high levels of satisfaction in terms of performance and design, and is a watch I would highly recommend to anyone buying their first mechanical GMT watch.

　At the same time, Citizen, which continues to expand its range of mechanical models, is looking forward to the new models it will release in the future. Just after the start of 24, a mechanical GMT model was released in the Citizen Promaster, so it's not hard to imagine that they will continue to focus on this genre. With the market for mechanical watches expanding and the number of users increasing, the world is awaiting Citizen's next move as a maker of affordable, high-performance mechanical watches, as exemplified by the Series Eight!