Very Quick
"I like the size very much actually, because when I'm dressed formally its size is classier looking than those expensive over-sized multi-function gizmos that an eight year old with cash would pick out."
"I have been an Amazon customer since 1998 and bought watches, cameras, computer equipment, pens, books, CDs, DVDs, audio equipment, flashlights, small hand tools, luggage, and who knows what else, and I can't remember another item that so nearly universally gave it's purchasers here such a strong positive experience."
"Along with teaching me how to determine the model year for 50s and 60s Fords and Chevys (back when they *didn't* all look alike, and when unveiling the new model Chevy was an actual event in my small town), and warning me to "never buy a used car, you're just buying somebody else's problems", my dad introduced me to the Spiedel Twist-O-Flex watch band."
"If I get another two years out of the watch, it will be a good value in my opinion, and if the watch is still for sale, I will probably order another one from Amazon (rather tempted to order one now and set it aside)."
"I'm satisfied of its lower price than other Citizen watches and I don't want to change multiple batteries over the years so I hope this canvas watch will be functional for a long time with its Eco-Drive technology."
"The luminous hands glow brightest just after you turn out the lights, which is perfect because at that time your eyes are still burnt out from staring at the LCD screen all night surfing Amazon reviews."
"As many reviewers have also mentioned, the band is pretty stiff and small (the size looks nice though, not too big for my small wrists or too big to steal the attention from the actual watch itself), but it really isn't much of a problem, and it does compliment the watch well."
Citizen Men's Eco-Drive Stainless Steel Watch with Day/Date display, BM8180-03E (Click to Compare Deals)
Quick
"I like the size very much actually, because when I'm dressed formally its size is classier looking than those expensive over-sized multi-function gizmos that an eight year old with cash would pick out... The eyelets give it a good look, but the complaints are true and I can imagine that for some wrists the eyelets would cause the band to be too loose or too tight... I would recommend this one over the Citizen AT0200-05E Eco-Drive Chronograph because the Chronograph on that watch is not very good, it lacks the beautifully simple look of this watch, and you pay much more for it."
"I have been an Amazon customer since 1998 and bought watches, cameras, computer equipment, pens, books, CDs, DVDs, audio equipment, flashlights, small hand tools, luggage, and who knows what else, and I can't remember another item that so nearly universally gave it's purchasers here such a strong positive experience. *Setting the watch is easy, straightforward, and mostly intuitive, except for the warning not to set day/date between 9pm and 4am, which has to do with mechanical workings internally, and is not any inconvenience... *All the other things: it keeps good time, losing just slightly more than 1 second in 9 weeks, which makes it 5-6 seconds deviant a YEAR."
"The strap is of decent quality, albeit a bit stiff (I'm sure that would have loosened up with wear), but I just didn't like having to futz with securing the strap ever time I put it on (yes, I'm old and set in my ways)... Along with teaching me how to determine the model year for 50s and 60s Fords and Chevys (back when they *didn't* all look alike, and when unveiling the new model Chevy was an actual event in my small town), and warning me to "never buy a used car, you're just buying somebody else's problems", my dad introduced me to the Spiedel Twist-O-Flex watch band. When he bought me my first watch when I was around 12, the first thing we did was take off the band that came with it and replace it with a brand-new Twist-O-Flex (yes, we had to take out several links to get it to fit my thin young wrist)."
"As noted, the dial is easy to read, with the day/date function very useful for those of us confused about the day of the week (I'm a bit absent minded about the year at times!... If I get another two years out of the watch, it will be a good value in my opinion, and if the watch is still for sale, I will probably order another one from Amazon (rather tempted to order one now and set it aside)... A sapphire crystal would probably make the watch too expensive (although I wish it were an option, if Citizen is reading this), and as I well know, sapphire crystals are easily shattered from three foot drops onto hard tile floors..."
"The second hand doesn't always align with the lines perfectly but it's not enough to make me complain... Even in an area where it's not brightly lit but still have adequate lighting, the hands will glow... I'm satisfied of its lower price than other Citizen watches and I don't want to change multiple batteries over the years so I hope this canvas watch will be functional for a long time with its Eco-Drive technology."
"For a watch in this price range you can't engineer a set of switching gears for day/date change that can also handle an owner messing around with the settings by pulling out the crown at the same time... The luminous hands glow brightest just after you turn out the lights, which is perfect because at that time your eyes are still burnt out from staring at the LCD screen all night surfing Amazon reviews... This is the kind of tough, no-nonsense, utilitarian looking time utensil that Abercrombie & Fitch made back in the day when Hemingway was finding leopards on Kilimanjaro or pulling in bluefin off the Finca before they sold out and began outfitting punkers and 1%ers on Wall Street."
"It's not too large, only about 37mm, so it fits on smaller wrists yet would look right at home on someone with big arms... As many reviewers have also mentioned, the band is pretty stiff and small (the size looks nice though, not too big for my small wrists or too big to steal the attention from the actual watch itself), but it really isn't much of a problem, and it does compliment the watch well... I ordered another band to replace it, I don't think I'll need it right away but I think it would definitely come in handy if the band just turns out not to loosten, etc."
Less Quick
"In fact, the first few days I was filled with buyers remorse because my previous watch was much larger and I wasn't used to the drop in size... I like the size very much actually, because when I'm dressed formally its size is classier looking than those expensive over-sized multi-function gizmos that an eight year old with cash would pick out... The Canvas Strap: That being said, there are many complaints about the size, look, and feel of the watchband... The eyelets give it a good look, but the complaints are true and I can imagine that for some wrists the eyelets would cause the band to be too loose or too tight... Whenever I get a watch I double check its accuracy every day for the first two weeks and then once a month... I haven't had it for too long but a friend of mine has the same model and its lasted him many years. I would recommend this one over the Citizen AT0200-05E Eco-Drive Chronograph because the Chronograph on that watch is not very good, it lacks the beautifully simple look of this watch, and you pay much more for it."
"* After looking at almost 100 watches on Amazon, and closely at 6, I chose the Citizen Eco-Drive BM8180 because it met, and exceeded, the adjectives I applied to it in this review's title... " I am a bit nocturnal, so to be on the safe side I set the watch on the windowsill for an hour of mostly direct sun once a week, which should keep it fully topped off at all times... I have been an Amazon customer since 1998 and bought watches, cameras, computer equipment, pens, books, CDs, DVDs, audio equipment, flashlights, small hand tools, luggage, and who knows what else, and I can't remember another item that so nearly universally gave it's purchasers here such a strong positive experience. *Setting the watch is easy, straightforward, and mostly intuitive, except for the warning not to set day/date between 9pm and 4am, which has to do with mechanical workings internally, and is not any inconvenience... *All the other things: it keeps good time, losing just slightly more than 1 second in 9 weeks, which makes it 5-6 seconds deviant a YEAR. There is no backlight, but the hands glow legibly for 30 minutes or more after lights out... 100 meter water resistance, which will be retained, unlike watches that must be opened every 2-3 years to replace the battery, thus ruining their real water resistance unless repacked by a pro for $$."
"So I started researching watches, and when the next Amazon watch sale came along, I found a lovely *automatic* (we called it "self-winding" in the "old days") Seiko in the "military-inspired" minimalist style was that I was looking for... 0/5, and there were enough negative reviews about stopping working and other problems that it gave me pause... , not around the house), and I've been leaving it in the kitchen where there is usually natural light during the day, plus bright artificial light on and off... I did have to charge it under bright light for something like 12-15 hours initially, so I just left the kitchen light on overnight... The strap is of decent quality, albeit a bit stiff (I'm sure that would have loosened up with wear), but I just didn't like having to futz with securing the strap ever time I put it on (yes, I'm old and set in my ways)... Along with teaching me how to determine the model year for 50s and 60s Fords and Chevys (back when they *didn't* all look alike, and when unveiling the new model Chevy was an actual event in my small town), and warning me to "never buy a used car, you're just buying somebody else's problems", my dad introduced me to the Spiedel Twist-O-Flex watch band. When he bought me my first watch when I was around 12, the first thing we did was take off the band that came with it and replace it with a brand-new Twist-O-Flex (yes, we had to take out several links to get it to fit my thin young wrist)."
"Anyone that has come from a self-winding watch (even high end models from my limited exposure), should know the need for regular adjustments... As noted, the dial is easy to read, with the day/date function very useful for those of us confused about the day of the week (I'm a bit absent minded about the year at times!... The crystal sits proud of the surface, as crystals usually do, but I rather wish it had some sort of raised protection outside it, as the crystal has become very well scratched with use. The scratches have only been more noticeable in the last year, so it is not all bad, and the watch is still readable. If I get another two years out of the watch, it will be a good value in my opinion, and if the watch is still for sale, I will probably order another one from Amazon (rather tempted to order one now and set it aside)... A sapphire crystal would probably make the watch too expensive (although I wish it were an option, if Citizen is reading this), and as I well know, sapphire crystals are easily shattered from three foot drops onto hard tile floors..... One of the selling points to the watch is the Eco-Drive function, which as is illustrated with the watch listing, charges the built-in battery using available light from the dial's nearly perfectly hidden, baked-in solar cell."
"I thought about getting a fancy chronograph or slide rule but I figured I would seldom use them so all that extra clutter would take up space most of the time... The second hand doesn't always align with the lines perfectly but it's not enough to make me complain... If I am in between 9pm and 4am and being impatient, what I do is change the time to be outside of the damage range, change the date, and then change the time back. Just remember that if you move back the time far enough, it may change the date by one day so you'd have to redo it again... I can't say it's without any blemishes but you'd have to be examine close enough to spot them... Even in an area where it's not brightly lit but still have adequate lighting, the hands will glow... I'm satisfied of its lower price than other Citizen watches and I don't want to change multiple batteries over the years so I hope this canvas watch will be functional for a long time with its Eco-Drive technology."
"except every three-to-four years when accuracy becomes erratic and I have to send it away to Rolex Dallas for a month for $750 service oiling, upkeep, and rehab maintenance... Once I received this Eco-Drive with two-day Amazon+ free delivery I put it on my wrist in direct sunlight for a few hours, set the time, and away we went... For a watch in this price range you can't engineer a set of switching gears for day/date change that can also handle an owner messing around with the settings by pulling out the crown at the same time... The luminous hands glow brightest just after you turn out the lights, which is perfect because at that time your eyes are still burnt out from staring at the LCD screen all night surfing Amazon reviews... The Citizen canvas band is stiff until you wear it enough to break it in to the shape of your very own wrist, and then it sits very well when you wear it in Real Life rolling your ulna and radius reaching for another beer... This is the kind of tough, no-nonsense, utilitarian looking time utensil that Abercrombie & Fitch made back in the day when Hemingway was finding leopards on Kilimanjaro or pulling in bluefin off the Finca before they sold out and began outfitting punkers and 1%ers on Wall Street. The Explorer II crystal hangs out enough MMs from the stainless case that it had a noticeable chip out of it before a year was out and I learned how it catches every steel rail or rock outcrop in sight."
"I needed an everyday watch that's basically everything-proof (I'm pretty careless, that's how my other watch was stolen), and I like the military style... It's not too large, only about 37mm, so it fits on smaller wrists yet would look right at home on someone with big arms... Some other reviewers mentioned it had something to do with the eco-drive mechanism. Now there are no problems, and I think the ones I had in the first place were probably my fault anyway. As many reviewers have also mentioned, the band is pretty stiff and small (the size looks nice though, not too big for my small wrists or too big to steal the attention from the actual watch itself), but it really isn't much of a problem, and it does compliment the watch well... I ordered another band to replace it, I don't think I'll need it right away but I think it would definitely come in handy if the band just turns out not to loosten, etc... Overall, the watch is tough, the right size (fits under a sleeve easy), eco friendly (and saves money in the long run) and really is very handsome."
