Here's a treat: two Citizen Series 8 watches, one new, and one of the series’ older models.
This is a premium line of Citizen watches, which debuted in 2008 in Japan, and have only recently been released on a global scale. It's a thrill to see what the Japanese watchmaker can do on a bigger budget, and my expectations were high going into this review.
Of the nine Series 8 watches currently available, I've chosen the most recent release, a brown leather 931 model, and an older mother of pearl design in steel.
Overview:
Citizen Series 8 NB6011-11W
The first piece is their newest Series 8 release, the NB6011-11W also known as the 831 model. This is a brown leather watch with a striking dial and strong automatic movement.
Straight away, I can see that this case has an AP-like octagonal case, with some hard edges shown off in brushed steel. The case has a 40mm diameter, with a 10mm thickness, which is comfortable. Citizen has gone for a stripped-back look here, which is good because the real show-stopper is this dial.
Loving the brown colour here, and the shine you get off this fluted texture is fantastic. There’s a nice gradient here too, with the edges a much darker shade of brown than the centre. All this is paired really well with the fancy leather strap.
One of the real selling points of the Series 8 line is the in-house Miyota movement. Though, this model has the 9051 Calibre which is thinner than the 0950 on the earlier model, and slightly less powerful. It holds 42 hours of power reserve, boasts a modern magnetic resistance, and is accurate to -10 to +20 seconds a day.
Citizen Series 8 NA1010-84X
So, let’s take a look at the stainless-steel 830 model, the NA1010-84X. Now first of all, I love the dial texture. I was excited to get a look at this mother-of-pearl dial which I think is paired really well with a black lattice cover.
It is a little more subtle than I’d thought, but when this stainless steel watch hits the light you get some amazing colour. This design is packaged up in that same edgy case design, and this time paired with an appealing ‘H’ link steel bracelet.
Just like the 831, you can feel the quality of this construction. You get what you pay for in terms of aesthetics and durability.
As I mentioned the automatic movement is more powerful on this model, with a 48-hour reserve and a -5 to +10 second a day accuracy. There’s also that same magnetic resistance.
It’s great to finally have this watch released globally because it really shows the quality Citizen can produce.
Final Thoughts
These designs may not be for everyone, but the highlights are definitely there for both pieces. The exciting dial patterns are what really sell these models to me, with the rest of the line excelling in this area, too.
If you like the rugged case design, you'll be pleased to know the feel and quality is what you'd expect from premium models like these.
Both watches, and 6 more timepieces from the Series 8 line, are available now on Watch Depot. But, we have limited stock, so get in quick!
