Poor Man Diver - Ecozilla

Within the Dive watch category there are lots and lots of models, brands, etc. some are expensive and some are cheap. Some are well made and some are flawed. I have and had a number of dive watches but there was one I wanted to check out for a while, the Citizen Ecozilla. I never had a chance to before because due to the size, shape and price it was always a little farther then my reach, until a few days ago. I found a great deal on the watch sales forums and was lucky enough to snatch it.

If there is a watch that imparts the impression of being a Diver’s watch, in my opinion, it is the Citizen Ecozilla. Every time I look at it I think of a ship’s porthole, and after that I think to one of those dive suit’s helmets… the shape and look of the case and dial remind me of those. It seems to me that this watch was built with that purpose in mind, using it under water.

So what do I think about it? Well, there are good things and things that could be improved.

I think that proprietary rubber strap and set up is the worst thing for this watch, in my opinion of course. It kind of forces a user to buy and use Citizen proprietary straps which don’t fit my wrist. It would have been better if they had put on it regular lugs that took different type of straps and/or braceletc.

The other point is the crown at left, I am sure that left handed people like that, but I am not left handed so it is a PITA for me to set the time etc. Maybe they could have made two models, one with the crown at left and one with the crown at right.

The dial is small in proportion to the huge bezel and the markers are large as well as the hands, it makes it a little indefinite to establish the exact time since each marker spans between 3 and 5 minute markers. Not a big deal, just a comment really.

The watch is also pretty tall and sticks out from the wrist quite a bit.

As for the good things, which certainly overcome any of the above, I have to say that:

The watch is awesome in size, solidity and functionality.

Some great WIS designed and produced what Citizen should have done from the beginning, straps adapters. I happen to have the adapters from Walter (Canada) and they work perfectly for me. I put the watch on a 24mm Zulu strap and have been wearing it for the past couple of days. It is very comfortable.

The large markers and hands have lots of lume material and this is a nice cool blue that is bright and visible, lasts all night and is excellent. The color is really cool I think.

The movement is quartz EcoDrive and is powered by the light.

The bezel is a couple of mm taller then the glass and therefore protects it from damage, scratches etc.

I even like the fluorescent red minute hand.

With a WR of 300m this is a great watch that can be used for diving but it seems a great watch for every day use too. In other words it is a cool watch that has a good presence and good looks, in my opinion of course.

See some pics below, note my wrist is about 8” for reference. Sorry for any dust spec or lint.